Regional Fisheries Groups – South West 7efg
This area covers ICES areas 7e, 7f and 7g; from St Alban’s Head, round the coast of Cornwall, including the Isles of Scilly and up to Bristol.
SouthCrawfish West2026/2027 Octopusseasonal bloomclosure
MMO -ran updatea Julyconsultation to seek views on a fourth seasonal closure of the crawfish fishery in English waters of ICES area 7 for all UK and EU vessels using all gear types. The consultation ran from 30 April to 12 May 2026. Responses collected during the 2026 engagement events have been analysed alongside the online survey responses.
Further information on the 2026/2027 consultation, including consultation document with recorded engagement responses is available on the Crawfish page.
MMO will introduce a closure of the crawfish fishery from 22 November 2026 to 31 May 2027 (inclusive). This will be enacted through a fishing vessel licence condition. This will prohibit vessels fishing, retaining on board, storing or landing crawfish during the closure period.
South West Octopus Bloombloom – Update March 2026
DuringWe 2025recognise andthe intodisruption 2026,the fishermenoctopus in Southbloom West Englandis reportedcausing ato surgecrab, lobster, and scallop fisheries in sightingsthe region.
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Gathering insights
AMMO dedicatedis MMOmonitoring octopuslandings webpageof octopus, as well as key stocks impacted by in increased presence of octopus, such as crab, lobster, scallops, crawfish and whelks. Landings data has been developedpresented in the infographics below and canwill be accessedroutinely throughupdated.
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The activities,Code anof overviewPractice for Statistics (CoP) sets the standards that producers of relevantofficial scientificstatistics research,should commit to. MMO, as a producer of official statistics, must meet conditions of the CoP including orderly release of statistics (3.11) which requires all forms of statistics (which includes these infographics) to be published following a release practice policy. This practice enables MMO to provide consistent and well-informed information onto availableits funding.stakeholders.
Western
InMMO responsehosted another meeting with scientists, regulators and industry representatives on August 6th to provide an update on the current octopussituation bloomregarding octopus, as well as next steps with research and potential management needs.
Following industry feedback, the MMO has taken the decision to engage through existing meetings and attend where MMO presence is requested.
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MMO and Defra are considering how best to engage with the EU to learn from existing octopus fisheries.
Meeting with processors
MMO met with processors who are facing the impacts of declining shellfish catches. This meeting allowed stakeholders to clarifyshare the positionimpacts they’ve observed as a result of the increased abundance of octopus in the southwest, as well as a general decline of crab in other areas. Stakeholders also discussed the opportunity for vesselssupport subjectfor processors, resulting in an action to Westerndevelop Watersand (WW)circulate a survey, to gather further views on the state of the crab regimefishery whenat fishingthe formoment otherand speciescollate suchideas ason octopus.potential funding opportunities. This survey is ready and can be accessed below.
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Crawfish
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Octopus Handling guides
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Meeting Videos and Notes
*For older meeting recording, please contact the RFG team regionalfisheriesgroups@marinemanagement.org.uk.
*Meeting notes which occurred over 18 months ago can be accessed by contacting the RFG team (regionalfisheriesgroups@marinemanagement.org.uk).
Quota Videos and Presentations
*Older quota presentations can be accessed by contacting the RFG team (regionalfisheriesgroups@marinemanagement.org.uk).
Crab and lobster fisheries management plan (FMP)
Background
The crab and lobster fisheries management plan - GOV.UK was published in December 2023. There are a number of measures recommended in the FMP. Please see the FMP Infographics poster for further information and the indicative timescales.
Defra (Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs) commissioned MMO to lead delivery of Proposal 3: to pilot (trial) finer scale management in a crab fishery unit (CFU) in the South West. The Western English Channel brown crab (Cancer pagurus) CFU was highlighted in the FMP for priority management as the stock size was considered near maximum sustainable yield (MSY) and the exploitation rate was moderate in 2019. There are concerns about significant increases in fishing effort in the area in recent years.
South West Crab Trial Group
The South West Crab Trial Group was formed in 2024, facilitated by Seafish to bring together local stakeholders, MMO and Defra to help deliver South West brown crab trial(s).
MMO drafted an options paper (linked below) which was circulated to the group on 15 May 2025. Online meetings took place on 3 and 5 June 2025 to discuss the paper, next steps for engagement, and octopus impacts on this trial(s) work. At the time the paper was drafted octopus were not causing the level of concern that they are now.
There was unanimous support from the group for harmonising the Minimum Conservation Reference Size (MCRS), also referred to as the minimum landing size, for brown crab in South West English waters. The proposed harmonised MCRS is:
- 160 millimetres (mm) for male brown crab
- 150 mm for female brown crab
While there was recognition of the potential value of other measures, particularly those related to effort management, the group agreed that these should not be progressed this summer due to current challenges in the South West relating to the octopus bloom. MMO and Defra understand the importance of managing the crab stocks sustainably and will continue to work with industry through the implementation groups to progress effort management approaches as a priority. We are improving our data and understanding of the impacts of the octopus bloom on the fishery to inform the development of management proposals.
Originally, MMO planned to do a South West face-to-face roadshow in June to meet with industry to discuss brown crab trial options. However, based on feedback from the group we will instead conduct a short online survey to gather views.
A summary of the meetings and next steps is provided below. This has been circulated to the South West Crab Trial Group.
- Southwest brown crab trial group: options paper (PDF, 991 KB, 26 pages)
- Southwest crab trial group: summary of online meetings (PDF, 340 KB, 6 pages)
South West brown crab MCRS – survey results
The online survey closed on 17 August 2025. Given the support received during stakeholder meetings and in survey responses to the anticipated long-term benefits to crab stocks, the government has proposed the harmonisation of brown crab (Cancer pagurus) MCRS will be made a permanent measure in the South West.
The harmonisation measures mean brown crab MCRS in English waters of the South West will be 160 mm for a male crab and 150 mm for the female crab. It will be introduced via a vessel licence condition from 1 February 2026 and apply to all UK and EU vessels using all gears. Please see the supporting documents for further information and survey results.
Crab and lobster FMP – next steps
MMO and Defra understand the importance of managing the crab and lobster stocks sustainably and will continue to work with industry through the crab and lobster implementation group to progress effort management approaches as a priority.
Projects
Lyme Bay Sole Fishery
Between 2015 and 2022 quota for Dover sole (Solea solea) in the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES) Area 7.e roughly doubled, leading to increased fishing effort in particular in Lyme Bay. Concerns were raised by stakeholders about the effects of this increased effort on the sole population, the wider marine environment, and local communities. As a result, the MMO agreed to undertake a review of the Lyme Bay sole fishery from an environmental, social and economic perspective. This review included analysis of landings and at sea observer data, a consultation and 2 in person workshops with stakeholders to discuss potential new management measures for the fishery.
Following analysis of the consultation responses, workshop and evidence investigations, MMO has published a decision document outlining the results, proposed management measures and next steps. MMO has also produced a one-pager to summarise the outcomes of consultation and proposed management measures. Please see below for the documents and further detail.
- Gear separation meeting notes 31.01.24
- MMO Management measures for Lyme Bay sole fishery - Consultation results
- MMO Management measures for Lyme Bay sole fishery - Decision document
- MMO Management measures for Lyme Bay sole fishery - Summary
Cefas study on increased mesh sizes
We commissioned Cefas to carry out a desktop study to look at increased mesh sizes for both static and towed gear in 7e and whether this results in larger sole being caught and therefore supporting the sustainability of the stock. There were limited samples to make a significant conclusion that an increase in mesh size would be beneficial and only a very small percentage of catches are below the 28cm suggested MCRS. The report suggests that an increase in mesh sizes or MCRS would have minimal impact on the wider health of the stock. Recognising stakeholder feedback and practical experience, the report has been delivered to the Celtic Sea & Western Channel Demersal FMP team to include within their evidence base for sole and consider for future measures alongside evidence gathering.
We’ve also delivered this report to Defra, noting the potential benefits of an increased mesh size in the sole fishery for bycatch of pollack.
Anonymously report lost or damaged gear
In January 2024, the MMO introduced the ‘Text Anna’ anonymous reporting of gear conflict. The person reporting the conflict will be kept anonymous.
Fishers, both commercial and recreational, should text Anna (SW RFG Lead) on 07584 885 023 with the following information:
- What gear was damaged or lost (pots, nets, lines etc).
- Coordinates of where the gear was damaged or lost.
- Any information that was spotted on the markings to identify the owner of the gear
You can also use this online form for reporting lost or damaged gear in Lyme Bay instead.
MMO only count reports where there has been damage to gear. We do not consider competition for space / inability to launch gear, a ‘gear conflict’.
Code of Conduct
The MMO has responded to concerns from fishermen that an increase in sole quota has led to conflict and potentially overfishing in Lyme Bay.
The MMO and Inshore Fisheries Conservation Authorities (IFCA) have been investigating and in 2022 created a steering group to oversee the investigation. The Steering group includes representative fishers from the Lyme Bay Community Interest Company, and other ports outside of Lyme Bay, as well as the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), IFCA, Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture (Cefas) and MMO representatives.
At a steering group meeting in the summer of 2022, a best practice Code of Conduct for sole fishing with gill nets in Lyme Bay was agreed as follows. Lyme Bay is defined as the area inside a line from Beer Head to Portland.
- A minimum mesh size 5 inches (127mm) for gill nets targeting sole.
- All fixed nets should be marked with a buoy showing the PLN of the vessel at both ends of the net.
- Flags and radar reflectors are used where possible and practical to mark the location of nets.
Note: That these are best practice recommendations and not law.
The first recommendation is to support the sole population by letting smaller soles increase their opportunity to breed. The second is to help prevent gear conflict by increasing the visibility of net locations to prevent them being caught up in trawl gear, and so that other netting vessels can avoid setting nets that cross over nets already set in the water.
Small eyed ray (RJE) investigation to explore removal of 7e non-retention
This was the first project to come from the RFGs. Inshore fishers in the Southwest Regional Fisheries Group raised the local abundance of small-eyed ray in area 7.e and the rationale behind the non-retention policy in 7.e when it can be retained in 7.f-g. The non-retention policy is the result of a political decision at EU level, it was not based on ICES advice.
The MMO commissioned Cefas to carry out a study, this was paid for by MMO evidence team. The study highlighted that there is no evidence of decline in the stock, distribution is patchy as is trawl survey data due to its preferred habitat. Small-eyed ray is not a significant stock nationally or financially but could be significant to coastal communities in the southwest particularly inshore fishers.
The Defra Negotiations team took this to the EU at the annual negotiations in December 2023 and received a limited quota for small-eyed ray (RJE) in the western English Channel (ICES Division 7.e) to allow for scientific data collection. In 2024, this was used by Cefas to carry out a self-sampling scheme in collaboration with commercial, inshore fishers, to collect information on the species composition of skates in those inshore areas where small-eyed ray is locally common, and information on the size composition, sex ratio and biology of small eyed ray.
We are hoping to work with Cefas to carry out a similar scheme for 2025.
Fisheries Management Plan Q&A Videos
Following on from recent Fisheries Management Plan (FMP) events, four Q&A videos have been produced for FMPs currently under consultation.
The RFG team has gathered answers to common questions to help provide clarity on key elements of the plans and to assist with fishers completing the consultations. The videos feature answers from Defra policy leads, with input from Cefas, AIFCA, and the Marine Management Organisation.
Watch the videos here:
- Southern North Sea and Channel skates and rays FMP - RFG Q&A- skates & rays FMP
- North Sea and Channel sprat FMP - RFG Q&A -North Sea and Channel sprat FMP
- Southern North Sea demersal non-quota species FMP - RFG Q&A -Southern North Sea demersal non-quota FMP
- Cockle FMP - RFG Q&A - cockle FMP
To learn more about the FMPs, please visit the FMP blog here Fisheries Management Plans – News and updates from Defra’s FMP programme
*for more information on any of the above, please contact the RFG team (regionalfisheriesgroups@marinemanagement.org.uk).
Crawfish
In 2024, MMO worked with industry to address concerns for the crawfish (Palinurus spp) fishery in the southwest. Stakeholder engagement events and consultations were held regarding seasonal closures of the fishery. The first closure took place between 5 February 2024 to 30 April 2024. The second closure took place between 16 December 2024 to 31 May 2025.
In December 2024 the licence condition for the increased minimum conservation reference size ‘MCRS’ (minimum landing size) of 110 millimetres (mm) was succeeded by a statutory instrument (SI).
In February 2026, MMO held a workshop in Newlyn with stakeholders to discuss the forthcoming seasonal closure for 26/27 and explore longer‑term regulatory measures to ensure the stock remains both ecologically and economically sustainable. Please see the meeting notes for further detail: Crawfish Workshop Notes 17.02.26 (PDF, 269 KB, 9 pages)
In March 2026, MMO held a meeting in Hayle with the Isle of Scilly stakeholders who were unable to attend the Newlyn workshop due to poor weather. The meeting followed the same format as the Newlyn workshop. Please see the meeting notes for further detail: IoS meeting notes 19.03.26 (PDF, 191 KB, 5 pages)
Cuttlefish Action Plan
Stakeholders can find the latest information, progress and updates on the Cuttlefish Fishery Action Plan on the GOV.UK guidance page Cuttlefish Fishery Action Plan and you can also sign up for email alerts from that page to stay up to date.
The newly published Cuttlefish Market Sampling Report is now available using the link above.
Area Contact List
- RFG: regionalfisheriesgroups@marinemanagement.org.uk
- RFG SW Lead: Anna Maclennan anna.maclennan@marinemanagement.org.uk 07584885023
- MMO Inshore Quota Managers: inshorequotamanager@marinemanagement.org.uk
- MMO Hayle Office: western@marinemanagement.org.uk 0208 026 9060
- MMO Plymouth Office: plymouth@marinemanagement.org.uk 0208 026 9052
- MMO Brixham Office: brixham@marinemanagement.org.uk 0208 026 9059
- MCA Plymouth Office: plymouthmo@mcga.gov.uk 020 3908 5245
- Cornwall IFCA: enquiries@cornwall-ifca.gov.uk 01872 324284
- Isles of Scilly IFCA: ifca@scilly.gov.uk 07875 543700
- Devon and Severn IFCA: office@devonandsevernifca.gov.uk 01803 854648
- Southern IFCA: enquiries@southern-ifca.gov.uk 01202 721373
Updates to this page
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South West Octopus bloom - update July 2026
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Changes to the publishing frequency of the octopus and shellfish infographics.
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Octopus and shellfish infographics - 11 May 2026 published.
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Infographic updated 27 April 2026
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Crawfish consultation update
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19.03.2026 meeting video and note published.
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IoS meeting notes 19.03.26 published.
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2026 summary Octopus & Shellfish Infographic updated.
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Removal of survey
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Update to the meeting videos and notes section.
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Crawfish Workshop Notes 17.02.26 added.
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Octopus & Shellfish Infographic updated.
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Octopus bloom: A survey to understand stakeholder requests for support - update
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Octopus & Shellfish Infographic updated.
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2025 Summary Octopus Shellfish Infographic added.
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Update to the Cuttlefish Action Plan section.
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Update 18.12.25
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Cuttlefish Market Sampling Report 2025 added.
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South West brown crab MCRS update.
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Octopus & Shellfish Infographic 2025 update.
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Octopus & Shellfish Infographic 2025 updated.
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23 September 2025 meeting notes added.
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Thursday 16 October 2025 update.
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Friday 03 October 2025 update.
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Update 22 September 2025 - meeting video
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Update 18/09
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Update 18 September 2025
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Update: SURVEYS – Marine Biological Association Fishermen & Divers
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Shellfish Infographic 2025 - Added Octopus Infographic 2025 - Updated
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The South West brown crab MCRS online survey closed on 17 August so section has been updated.
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South West brown crab online survey-overview document pdf updated to add Latin name for brown crab and corrected co-ordinates on the map.
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Updated FMP section with information on the brown crab MCRS survey for the South West
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Octopus Handling guides infographics updated.
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Update 17/07
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Infographics updates - Friday 11 July 2025 update.
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Update 30/06
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Updated infographics
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Update - Gathering insights / Octopus bloom
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Update 20/06
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Update 16/06
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Update 13 June 2025
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Infographics added.
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Update 28/05
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Octopus Bloom
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Meeting notes added - 05.09.24
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Update 02 October 2024
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17 May 2024 meeting minutes published.
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08 May 2024 update.
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RFG Full Meeting South West 7efg 12.04.24 - uploaded
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Small amends
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Cuttlefish Action Plan Workshop Channel Demersal NQS FMP - information sheet (added)
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Update 23 February 2024
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Gear separation document - update
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Update 25-01-24
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Catch limit decisions added
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Consultation update
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Small amend
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Update
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Update of Lyme Bay sole fishery consultation and new management measures
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Attachment updated
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Anonymous reporting form added
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Meeting notes updated
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26 April 2023 update.
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Feb update
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RFG update
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Successes added
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New date
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Code of conduct update
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First published.