Current projects:

• Small eyed ray project aiming to remove the non retention policy in 7e.
• New fisheries management measures are being implemented in Lyme Bay
• New fisheries management measures being considered and implemented for southwest crawfish fishery. The consultation for the 2024/25 closure will be published shortly.

SouthwestCatch OctopusLimit BloomDecisions

Marine

Decision Managementrecord Organisation– (MMO)RJU_7DE is– awareJan 2024

PDF, 340 KB, 1 page

This file may not be suitable for users of assistive technology.

Request an octopusaccessible bloomformat.

If whichyou isuse occurringassistive intechnology the(such southwest,as mosta prominentlyscreen reader) and need a version of this document in ICESa divisionmore 7.e.accessible Concernsformat, haveplease beenemail raisedcommunications@marinemanagement.org.uk. byPlease tell us what format you need. It will help us if you say what assistive technology you use.

Southwest crawfish fishery

The fishing industry membersshared concerns regarding the impactsrecent beingincrease observed in shellfishcrawfish fisheries(Palinurus andspp) effectslandings oncoupled stockswith an observed increase in the surroundingsize areas.of the fishery. 

MMO recentlyheld meta withco-design fisheriesworkshop managerson and03 scientistsOctober 2023 with fishers to discuss the bloomcurrent andissues with the issuessouthwest crawfish fishery, and opportunitiesproposed itoptions mayfor bringmanagement in the short-term. Further information on the workshop including meeting notes and consideroutputs potentialis actionsavailable required.below.  

OctopusMMO isproposed includedtwo initial solutions in the Channelworkshop. DemersalThese Non-Quotawere:   

• An Speciesincrease Fisheriesin Managementthe Plan,minimum dueconservation toreference theirsize increasing(MCRS) abundancefrom 95 millimetres (mm) to 110 mm in English waters of ICES area 7,  
• A seasonal closure of the Southfishery Westduring the off-peak fishing period in English Channel.waters Shortof termICES measuresarea for7.  

There Octopuswas areunanimous toagreement monitorin catchesthe andworkshop designingto implement a researchMCRS planincrease forfrom gathering95 datamm andto considering110 managementmm in English waters of theICES fishery.area 7. Following this, MMO havehas beenannounced collatinga landingslicence information,condition andregarding researchthis change will come into theforce viabilityfrom of01 aJanuary UK2024. OctopusFurther fisheryinformation on the rationale behind the MCRS increase is beingavailable developed.below.  

Following Toconsultation improveand required notifications, the evidencefirst baseseasonal MMOclosure havefor producedcrawfish speciesin IDEnglish cardswaters forof Common,ICES Hornedarea and7 Curledwas octopus,introduced between 05 February 2024 to support30 betterApril reporting2024. ofA landings,further workshop took theseplace IDon cards13 areFebruary available2024 uponwhere requesta atfurther localseasonal MMOclosure offices.was discussed, with support for a repeat to the annual closure.  

MMO willran soona lookconsultation on a potential seasonal closure from 23 July 2024 to reconvene18 withAugust industry2024. representativesThe andclosure furtherwould discussprohibit the issuesretaining and providelanding updatesof oncrawfish thein workEnglish beingwaters undertakenof ICES area 7 for all UK and EU vessels using all gear types. MMO engaged directly with fishers to understandgather the fisheryindustry andexperience itsfrom impactsthe acrosslast stocks.