Sustainable measures are in place for the king scallop season, which begins on 1 November 2019.
During the seven month season, licensed vessels will be permitted to land a total of 2,049 tonnes of king scallops.
The daily catch limit per vessel will be 560kg at the start of the season, which will be actively monitored. This will be reviewed after four weeks and may be changed in response to fishery data and market conditions.
The Island’s Scallop Management Board, which met in October, looked at the annual survey by Bangor University as well as information collected by vessels during last year’s season and data from an industry based survey.
The Board is made up of fishermen, fish processors and scientists, from the Isle of Man, England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
The Board made a series of recommendations regarding the management of the king scallop fisheries, which the Minister for Environment, Food and Agriculture Geoffrey Boot MHK fully supported.
The Minister said:
‘Scallop fishery management measures, with total catch allowances and daily catch limits, mean that vessels can actively help to balance the productivity of the fishery with the protection of stocks from overfishing.
‘By building sustainable fisheries now, this economically important industry will continue into the future.’
The closed area at Targets remains in place, whilst the closed area at Chickens has been redefined.
A closure period during the festive season will take effect from 22 December 2019 until 3 January 2020.
