Joint Consultation on the Isle of Man King Scallop Fishery

Overview

In December 2020, the Isle of Man Scallop Management Board (SMB) submitted a Discussion Document on a Long Term Management Plan (LTMP) for the Isle of Man king scallop fishery to the Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture. This was followed by a SMB meeting in February 2021, during which a series of High Level Objectives (HLOs) were agreed and endorsed by the Scallop Management Board (see section 1.7), which outlined the industry’s vision for the future. The SMB meeting in February 2021 also resulted in a recommendation from the Board that DEFA work with industry to develop a LTMP for the fishery based on the industry Discussion Document and the agreed HLOs, and that a public consultation on the LTMP is subsequently launched.

This industry-driven initiative to develop a LTMP resulted in a sub-group of the SMB, including industry representatives, Bangor University, and the Department working collaboratively to produce this Joint Consultation. During June 2021, the industry members of the SMB convened in a series of ‘LTMP consultation workshops’ to consider the consultation documents in full, before then officially endorsing it and recommending that DEFA launch the public consultation.

This consultation is split into two parts and is accompanied by an Evidence-base:

• Part 1 provides an in-depth technical description of developments over the past decade with respect to management of scallop fisheries in Manx and UK waters. Part 1 has been largely constructed by DEFA officers, and provides a 10-year historic context for the LTMP consultation (reading time: 45 mins).
   
• Part 2 is the consultation itself, which contains questions relating to the LTMP ranging from high-level ‘in-principle’ questions to specific technical considerations. Part 2 was co-developed by the SMB sub-group, and is based largely on the industry Discussion Document and SMB endorsed HLOs (time to complete: 60 mins).
   
• An Evidence-base is included for those parts of the consultation that present and/or propose specific outcomes that can be quantitatively assessed. The Evidence-base was produced by Bangor University.
   
• An Appendix is attached to the consultation, which includes the most recent stock advice from Bangor University utilising fisheries-independent scientific and industry surveys, and fisheries-dependent data from previous season (for the 2020/21 fishing season).

Why your views matter

The king scallop fishery in Manx waters is economically critical to the local industry, and important to many businesses in the wider UK scallop industry. However, sustainable management of this resource remains challenging despite reductions in fleet capacity, innovative approaches to spatial management, and an increased level of scientific assessment, monitoring and co-management. At this time, the SMB, the Department and Bangor University consider the main barrier to an economically successful and sustainable fishery to be the absence of a long-term strategic approach that informs the Harvest Control Strategies each year. Furthermore, the lack of appropriate effort and fleet capacity management measures is an immediate barrier to implementing a Harvest Control Strategy that is aligned with a bioeconomic sustainability.

The industry, through the Scallop Management Board, has demonstrated initiative and leadership in their call for a Long Term Management Plan for this fishery, which should facilitate a more strategic approach to how the resource is managed with the overall aim of delivering high-level socioeconomic and biological objectives.

The Department and the SMB are seeking stakeholder views on a LTMP for the Manx king scallop fishery and a range of short-to-medium-term management options that are aligned to the LTMP and its HLOs.

Completing the consultation

You can complete the online version of the consultation by clicking on the link below 'Online survey'. 

You can also complete the paper version of the consultation which is available below under the Related section titled 'Consultation Document (Part 1 and Part 2)' and send the completed document to: 

Joint Consultation on the Isle of Man King Scallop Fishery
Department of Environment, Food & Agriculture
Environment Directorate
Thie Slieau Whallian
Foxdale Road, St John’s
Isle of Man
IM4 3AS

What happens next

A summary of responses will be posted on the Department’s website within 3 months of the close of the consultation period and will also be available from the Tynwald library and the Department’s head office.