Clyde Seasonal Closure 2026 - no islands communuties impact assessment needed declaration

Step One - Develop a clear understanding of your objectives

What are the objectives of the policy, strategy or service?

The Clyde cod seasonal closure aims to protect spawning cod within the Clyde Marine Area to facilitate and promote population recovery. The closure forms part of Scotland’s broader fisheries management framework and reflects statutory obligations under the Fisheries Act 2020 ^[1], including the precautionary approach and the sustainability objective, which requires environmental sustainability to be achieved while balancing the social and economic benefits of fisheries. This includes due regard for the interests of coastal communities, the marine environment, and the long-term viability of fishing activity.

The intended outcomes are:

1. To support long-term stock protection and recovery of cod in the Clyde

2. To contribute to sustainable fisheries management in the Clyde

3. To increase scientific knowledge in support of management decisions through a Targeted Scientific Programme (TSP) ^[2]

4. To use the TSP to aid in developing an adaptive management approach, enabling measures to be updated in response to emerging scientific evidence.

What are the intended impacts/ outcomes and how do these potentially differ across the islands?

The closure applies uniformly to all vessels operating in the designated area within the Clyde, regardless of home port or district. There is no differentiation in application between island and mainland communities, and the policy is not expected to result in different outcomes for island-based fishers.