Consultation on the 11 Proposed Joint UK Fisheries Management Plans for Demersal Fish Stocks

Why are we consulting on all Scottish-led demersal FMPs as part of one consultation?

Demersal fish are commercially important species within UK waters. For the demersal species covered by this set of FMPs, the total landings by the UK fleet into the UK totalled ~£183 million in 2024.

Of the 21 joint UK FMPs being coordinated by the Scottish Government, 11 are proposed for demersal species and have been developed in collaboration with the other relevant authorities, UK scientists, regulators, statutory nature conservation bodies (SNCBs) and stakeholders. The plans have been prepared for the purposes of the Act and in accordance with the policies and proposals set out in the JFS.

Demersal fisheries in the UK are complex due to the mixed nature of these fisheries and the range of fish stocks involved, with demersal fish stocks often caught alongside each other. Although these stocks are subject to separate FMPs, there are many shared characteristics between them, and similarities in where and how they are fished. It is reasonable, therefore, to consider all FMPs for demersal fish as part of one consultation.

Additionally, many of the management actions and the issues that are considered as part of these FMPs are applicable across demersal fisheries and, therefore, the actions required are often not specific to one stock or fishery.

The policies and actions in the 11 joint UK demersal FMPs set out how management of these stocks will be delivered in a way that is consistent with, and supportive of, the wider achievement of the fisheries objectives set out in the Act, the policies contained within the JFS and other legislative commitments.

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

They describe an overview of the current fisheries for demersal species in UK waters, they bring together existing management measures and regulations as well as providing information on available stock assessments, maximum sustainable yield (MSY) and stock biology. The policies on each stock and the links to related policies have been identified and discussed in the appropriate sections of the FMPs.