West Coast of Scotland and Clyde Herring Fisheries Management Plan

Executive Summary

The West Coast of Scotland and Clyde herring Fisheries Management Plan (FMP) is one of 43 FMPs set out in the Joint Fisheries Statement (JFS). It has been developed by the Scottish Government, Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (DEFRA) and the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) with input from industry, scientists, non-governmental organisations (NGOs), and Statutory Nature Conservation Bodies (SNCBs).

This FMP sets out the policies and actions to manage West Coast of Scotland (WoS) and Clyde herring stocks at sustainable levels, ensuring that they can continue to play a key role in providing positive socio-economic benefits to the UK, whilst also setting out a number of actions to improve management where this is needed.

This FMP relates to WoS and Clyde herring (Clupea harengus) which consists of the WoS and Clyde fisheries in UK waters covering the ICES areas 5b and 6.

For WoS herring overall management of this fishery is shared with coastal State partners. This international context is important to understand when considering sustainability and wider management issues. Fishing opportunities for WoS herring are managed by total allowable catches (TACs). The setting of TACs can be an effective way of managing fishing pressure on fish stocks. TACs and other joint management measures are agreed through international negotiations which are guided by the best available scientific advice, whilst also balancing environmental, social, and economic factors

Clyde herring is present only in UK waters, and setting of TAC is therefore a responsibility of the UK. To inform TAC setting the Marine Directorate of the Scottish Government produces an annual report on scientific survey and fisheries data, and the TAC is determined as fishing opportunities for British boats by the Secretary of State by this report.

WoS herring made up less than 1% of vessels’ landing values in 2024 and does not form a significant component of fishing vessels’ commercial catch. Clyde herring offers a diversification opportunity for vessels operating in the Clyde area and has been fished by Northern Irish pelagic vessels in 2021 (180 tonnes) and in 2025 (323 tonnes).

The relevant fisheries policy authorities do not have sufficient evidence to estimate MSY reference points for the WoS herring, and the Clyde herring fisheries covered by this FMP. The spawning stock biomass (SSB) is now below its biological reference point, suggesting that the stock is no longer within safe biological limits. However, fishing pressure is considered to be at sustainable levels which suggests fishing is not the only reason for the stocks decline.

The vision for this FMP is that the WoS herring fishery in UK waters has sufficient evidence in place to allow assessment of the stock’s MSY and that the fishery is managed sustainably to help ensure that stocks are maintained above biomass levels capable of producing (MSY). The vision for Clyde herring is that the fishery is managed sustainably, to help ensure that stocks are maintained above biomass levels capable of producing MSY. The policies and actions in this FMP set out how this will be delivered in a way that is consistent with, and supportive of, the wider achievement of the fisheries objectives set out in the Fisheries Act 2020, the policies contained within the Joint Fisheries Statement (JFS) and other legislative commitments.