Business and Regulatory Impact Assessment on Nephrops Fisheries Management Plans

Introduction

The Joint Fisheries Statement (JFS), as required by the Fisheries Act 2020 (the 2020 Act), sets out how the UK fisheries authorities (Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs, Scottish Government, Welsh Government and the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs in Northern Ireland^[1]) will prepare and publish 43 Fisheries Management Plans (FMPs) by 2026 for the Scottish-led FMPs, with some of the remaining plans led by the other UK fisheries authorities published by 2028^[2].

The plans bring together the evidence on the state of the stocks and identify measures and actions necessary to improve the evidence base and manage our fisheries in a sustainable way. Policies in an FMP set out both the short-term actions and longer-term vision for the management of the fishery.

This assessment is being undertaken alongside a public consultation on two proposed Nephrops FMPs, jointly developed by the following UK fisheries authorities: Scottish Government, Defra and DAERA. Further information is sought in the consultation regarding additional economic evidence to update this assessment before the publication of final Nephrops FMPs.

This partial BRIA describes the anticipated economic impact of the two Nephrops FMPs on the fishing sector and associated businesses.

This assessment document covers the following Nephrops FMPs:

• West Coast of Scotland Nephrops FMP
• North Sea Nephrops FMP

Catch limits in the form of Total Allowable Catches (TACs) are set annually informed by scientific advice from ICES. Although Nephrops stocks are assessed at a Functional Unit (FU) level, due to the complexity of the advice and management arrangements, the UK sets an overall West of Scotland Nephrops TAC for ICES areas 5b-c and 6 (NB.The West Coast of Scotland Nephrops FMP covers UK waters of subarea 6 only).

West Coast of Scotland Nephrops and most FUs covered by the North Sea Nephrops have a high level of data available. On this basis, there is sufficient available scientific evidence for the relevant fisheries policy authorities to make annual Maximum Sustainable Yield (MSY) assessments of these stocks.

Nephrops fisheries covered by both FMPs are currently being fished sustainably within MSY limits, with assessed FUs showing stock health above MSY biomass reference points and fishing pressure mostly below MSY fishing mortality reference points^[3].

They are commercially important species within UK waters, with the total value of the species covered by the two FMPs above landed by the UK fleet totalling £83.4 million in 2024. A breakdown by specific FMP is included below in Table 1.

Source: SG internal fisheries management data, August 2025. Figures may differ from the published UK sea fisheries annual statistics report 2024.

There has been a negligible volume of Nephrops landed by foreign vessels into the UK since 2020, with no recorded landings in 2024^[4].

The two Nephrops FMPs set out policies and actions relating to the stocks which are to be implemented in a way that is consistent with, and supportive of, the wider achievement of the fisheries objectives set out in the 2020 Act, the policies contained within the JFS and other legislative commitments.

These plans also identify evidence gaps and consider research for the species they cover to enhance current management and ensure that sustainability is maintained.

The FMPs describe an overview of the current fisheries for Nephrops species in UK waters as well as providing information on available stock assessments, maximum sustainable yield (MSY) and stock biology.