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Isle of Man queen scallop fishery

Queen Scallop Uptake Report

Pie chart showing The FULL quota for the 2023 Isle of Man queen scallop trawl fishery is 1142 t.
Th is will be reviewed by the Scallop Management Board when trawl reaches 818 t.

Isle of Man queen scallop fishery 2023

The fishery for queen scallops within the Isle of Man territorial sea commenced on 3 July 2023 with a Total Allowable catch (TAC) of 1,142 tonnes for the Trawl Fishery and 58.3 tonnes for the Dredge fishery, the Dredge fishery will open on 2 October 2023. The queen scallop fishery will be managed against the TAC to ensure that it is not exceeded. Uptake against the TAC will be shown using the table above. Notifications regarding uptake will not be sent and interested parties are advised to check this page periodically.

Isle of Man queen scallop fishery map

Table 5(a): Definitions of specified areas
AreaDefinition
Targets Closed Area 1 that area of the territorial sea bounded by a line drawn from a point 54˚ 21.000' N, 004˚ 52.000' W, (TAR_A) eastward to a point 54˚ 21.000' N, 004˚ 50.000' W, (TAR_B) southward to a point 54˚ 18.000' N, 004˚ 50.000' W, (TAR_C) westward to a point 54˚ 18.000' N, 004˚ 52.000' W, (TAR_D) northward to a point 54˚ 21.000' N, 004˚ 52.000' W, (TAR_A) indicated as the shaded area "Targets Closed Area 1" on the map labelled Figure 1.
Targets Closed Area 2 that area of the territorial sea bounded by a line drawn from a point 54˚ 22.500' N, 004˚ 46.000' W, (TAR_E) eastward to a point 54˚ 22.5000' N, 004˚ 42.000' W, (TAR_F) southward to a point 54˚ 21.000' N, 004˚ 42.000' W, (TAR_G) westward to a point 54˚ 21.000' N, 004˚ 46.000' W (TAR_H), northward to a point 54˚ 22.5000' N, 004˚ 46.000' W, (TAR_E) indicated as the shaded area "Targets Closed Area 2" on the map labelled Figure 1.
Targets Closed Area 3 that area of the territorial sea bounded by a line drawn from a point 54˚ 24.500' N, 004˚ 48.000' W, (TAR_I) northward to the 12 nautical mile, and a line drawn from a point 54˚ 24.500' N, 004˚ 48.000' W, (TAR_I) westward to the 12 nautical mile, and bounded by the 12 nautical mile limit, indicated as the shaded area "Targets Closed Area 3" on the map labelled Figure 1.
Experimental Research Area (East Douglas) that area of the territorial sea lying between the 0 - 3 mile limit, south of a line projected eastward (EDG_A), along the line of latitude 54° 16.650' N from MLW on the east coast of the Isle of Man and north of a line projected eastward (EDG_B) along the line of latitude 54° 14.450' N from MLW on the east coast of the Isle of Man, indicated as the shaded area "Experimental Research Areas (East Douglas)" on the map labelled Figure 1.
Table 5(b): Definitions of specified areas
AreaDefinition
Point of Ayre that area of the territorial sea between the 3 nautical mile and the territorial sea limit bounded by a line drawn northwest from the Point of Ayre lighthouse, at a point 54° 24.951'N; 54° 24.951'W, and clockwise from this point to a line drawn east-north-east from the Point of Ayre lighthouse (54° 24.951'N; 54° 24.951'W), indicated as the hatched lined area "Point of Ayre" on the map labelled Figure 1.
Queen Scallop Dredge Zone that area of the territorial sea between the 6 and 12 nautical mile limits from a line drawn south west from Chicken Rock Lighthouse (54°02.2700 N, 4° 50.4400 W) anticlockwise to a line drawn south east from Chicken Rock Lighthouse (54° 02.2700 N, 4° 50.4400 W), indicated as the hatched lined area "Queen Scallop Dredge Zone" on the map labelled Figure 1.

Recording your catch

It is a condition of your fishing licence that the master of the vessel shall, in addition to any logbook or electronic logbook, complete the NESTFORMS Electronic Daily Catch Return for all queen scallop fishing activity within the territorial sea. The NESTFORMS Electronic Daily Catch Return must be completed before 23:59 on the day that the fishing activity takes place. Full details of the Isle of Man Fishing Licence may be found at www.gov.im/fishing/conditions.

Isle of Man Queen Scallop Licences 

Sustainable fisheries management is the long term goal of both the Isle of Man Government and the Isle of Man Scallop Management Board (SMB). In November 2014, after a challenging season, the then Isle of Man Queen Scallop Management Board (QMB) met to review the fishery and discuss future management options. The QMB recommended that further measures were necessary and specifically that the Department should investigate options to cap effort. Following a public consultation which demonstrated overwhelming industry support for a cap on effort, a series of recommendations were made by the board and accepted by the Department. 

A copy of the consultation summary is available. 

In March 2015, Isle of Man Queen Scallop Licences were issued to those vessels that were licensed to fish for queen scallops when the consultation was published (December 2014) and which could demonstrate a track record of having fished for 20 or more days for queen scallops, within the territorial sea, over a reference period spanning the queen scallop seasons of 2010-2012.

It was recognised that there would be a number of genuine ‘pipeline’ cases as a result of these new measures and the Department considered these on a case by case basis. Unsuccessful applicants were able to appeal the decision, with appeals being considered by the QMB and applicants notified of the final decision by the Department.

No additional licences will be issued until such time as the stock has recovered to a level considered, by the Department, to be capable of sustaining additional effort. 

Vessel / licence owners are strongly advised to contact the Department at the earliest opportunity should they anticipate changes to their circumstances which may affect the Isle of Man Queen Scallop Licence or their ability to prosecute the fishery.

A copy of the Department’s policy on the Isle of Man Queen Scallop Licence (IOMQSCL) can be found in the downloadable documents section above.

For further information, please contact the Fisheries Directorate on +44 1624 685857 or email fisheries@gov.im

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