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Manx king scallop fishery sees sustainability rating increased

Thu, 05 Oct 2023

The Isle of Man’s king scallop fishery, which opens next month, is now rated among the most sustainably managed in the British Isles by the Marine Conservation Society (MCS).

The rating follows improvements to the fishery and its management in the last two years, which culminated in the launch of the Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture Long-Term Management Plan. Some of these changes include:

·      An improvement in the abundance and resilience in both adult and juvenile king scallops in the Manx territorial sea;

·      Greater controls on the number of vessels involved in the fishery;

·      Changes to the type of fishing gear allowed;

·      The use of closed and restricted areas to protect scallops and sensitive habitats;

·      Industry involvement in improving scientific surveys and stock assessments, which inform how quotas are set.

According to this year’s surveys conducted by Bangor University and the Manx Fish Producers Organisation, the abundance of king scallops in the island’s territorial sea is the third highest since surveys began in the 1990s, and the number of juvenile scallops indicates a positive outlook for future years.

It is hoped that the management approach under the Long-term Management Plan will ensure stocks of king scallops remain sustainable into the future.

The MCS currently advises consumers to avoid any wild-capture queen scallops that are caught outside of the Isle of Man territorial sea due to the lack of management and scientific data. This means that Manx queenies, which were voted as the Island’s national dish in 2018, can be enjoyed with confidence.

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