Consultation on Proposed Pelagic Fisheries Management Plans (FMPs)

Policies and actions for the management of UK pelagic fisheries

The proposed FMPs, including their policies and actions which are subject to the consideration of this consultation will be prioritised appropriately following publication to ensure realistic and measurable outputs. They were drafted to meet the requirements of policies set out in the JFS and sections 6(3)(a) or 6(3)(b) of the Fisheries Act 2020 (where appropriate).

For each policy, the FMP sets out:

• a rationale;
• ongoing, short and longer-term actions; and
• how the actions support delivery of the fisheries objectives.

Each policy describes the outcome that is being worked towards, and the actions are intended to support the delivery of those outcomes.

Where there is sufficient available evidence to assess MSY for the pelagic stocks covered by the FMPs, the FMPs must contain policies which will at least contribute to restoring or maintaining the stock at MSY. In addition, in accordance with section 5.4 of the JFS, the design and structure of FMPs directly relate to the fisheries objectives identified in section 5.4.2 and may also address wider issues in fisheries management depending upon the specific goals or targets of each plan and may contribute to one or more of the remaining fisheries objectives.

In developing the policies and actions for these FMPs, the relevant fisheries policy authorities have considered the current policy landscape including applicable international agreements and declarations, conservation advice and wider policy development underway, in addition to considering what additional evidence, measures or policies may be needed to support both the vision of the FMPs and delivery of the fisheries objectives.

FMPs are one of the tools that support the achievement of the fisheries objectives, although they are not the only policy vehicle available to do this. The fisheries policy authorities have also considered the conservation advice received from the SNCBs and included the outputs from that work in considering where policy action may be needed.

The FMPs will be monitored and assessed against a set of indicators to ensure the overarching outcomes and actions are effective in achieving the FMP policy goals and the requirements of the Act.

There is significant overlap in policies for the five pelagic FMPs, apart from policies 1 and 2 in the West Coast of Scotland and Clyde herring FMP which are different to account for the complexities around these stocks; this is intentional to ensure that there is harmonisation in management approaches and delivery as far as practicable. Area specific considerations, which do not span all five FMPs, are denoted in the individual FMPs.

For the proposed North Sea herring, ASH, Northeast Atlantic mackerel and Northern Shelf blue whiting FMPs the six policies are:

• Policy 1: Harvest the relevant stock sustainably, contributing to maintaining or restoring the biomass above the level capable of producing MSY
• Policy 2: Use the best-available scientific evidence to support management decisions relating to the setting of sustainable fishing opportunities
• Policy 3: Monitor catches of the relevant stock and ensure that where possible all catches are counted against quotas
• Policy 4: Identify and support implementation of ecosystem-based fisheries management approaches appropriate for the relevant fisheries
• Policy 5: Support fishing businesses to deliver socio-economic and cultural benefits for communities
• Policy 6: Reduce the impact of fishing on climate change and support the fishing industry to adapt to the impacts of climate change

For the proposed West Coast of Scotland and Clyde herring FMP, the six policies are:

• Policy 1: Continue to manage the WoS and Clyde herring stocks using existing tools to maintain stock levels
• Policy 2: Improve the evidence base underpinning the stock, in order to support sustainable harvesting of the WoS and Clyde herring stocks, with biomass maintained above the level capable of producing MSY
• Policy 3: Monitor catches of WoS and Clyde herring and ensure that where possible all catches are counted against quotas
• Policy 4: Identify and support implementation of ecosystem-based fisheries management approaches appropriate for the WoS and Clyde herring fisheries
• Policy 5: Support fishing businesses to deliver socio-economic and cultural benefits for communities
• Policy 6: Reduce the impact of fishing on climate change and support the fishing industry to adapt to the impacts of climate change

North Sea herring FMP

This FMP focuses on North Sea autumn-spawning herring (Clupea harengus), often called NSAS herring. NSAS herring stock is mainly caught by UK fishing vessels, both within UK waters and in nearby international waters. The fishery mainly takes place in the North Sea and eastern English Channel. North Sea herring is important to the UK fishing industry. In 2024, UK vessels landed herring worth around £80 million, making it one of the more valuable fisheries.

This stock is classed as “Category 1” which means that sufficient evidence is available for the relevant fisheries policy authorities to make an annual assessment of MSY. NSAS herring is currently fished within sustainable limits. In accordance with the Act, this FMP therefore must contain policies and actions which at least contribute to restoring or maintaining the stock above levels capable of producing MSY.

Recent ICES assessments show that fishing pressure is currently at a sustainable level, and the overall size of the stock remains healthy. However, there have been some changes in recent years. Fewer young fish appear to be entering the population, and the reasons for this are not yet fully understood. Environmental factors, such as rising sea temperatures, may be playing a role—warmer waters can lead to faster growth but shorter lifespans and smaller fish overall.

NSAS herring is a jointly managed stock, shared with trilateral partners, and therefore overall fishing opportunities are determined through international negotiation. The stock is subject to different management measures in different areas of the sea by individual coastal States, so we will endeavour to work in cooperation to jointly deliver sustainable management and catching opportunities for this stock.

The first two policies in this FMP largely relate to management measures to achieve long-term sustainability of the NSAS herring stock, and the remaining policies set out actions in relation to wider sustainable management.

Q. 1 For the North Sea herring FMP, do you agree with the proposed policies?

Q. 2: What are your views on the proposed actions for each policy in the North Sea herring FMP?

West Coast of Scotland (and Clyde) herring FMP

This FMP focuses on the West Coast of Scotland (WoS) and Clyde herring (Clupea harengus) which consists of the WoS and Clyde fisheries in UK waters.

Herring has traditionally been an important stock in the West of Scotland. Over time, scientists have changed how they study and manage this stock. For many years, different herring groups in the area were combined and assessed together because it was difficult to tell them apart. However, new genetic research has made it possible to separate and manage them more accurately.

Today, herring in the WoS and in the Clyde are treated as separate stocks, although there is still some mixing between them and with other nearby herring populations. Since 2016, fishing for WoS and Clyde herring landings have been limited to stock monitoring, or bycatch from other fisheries.

WoS herring is a Category 3 stock which means that it is considered to have no quantitative assessment but there is a reliable indicator of relative abundance. 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. WoS herring is a jointly managed stock with other coastal States and quota opportunities are determined through bilateral negotiations between the UK and EU.

Clyde herring is present only in UK (Scottish) waters. Setting the TAC for Clyde herring is therefore the sole responsibility of the UK. For this particular stock, the Scottish Government’s Marine Directorate produces a report that compiles and analyses the available evidence on stock status, which is then used to inform TAC decisions. However, there is currently insufficient data to carry out a full quantitative stock assessment or to identify clear stock trends—the last ICES assessment was conducted in 1990. As a result, it is not possible to estimate MSY reference points, and MSY-based management cannot yet be applied.

Fishing activity in the Clyde has declined significantly since its peak in the 1960s. In recent years, catches have been extremely low, with little to no commercial fishing recorded since 2014, aside from a small number of limited catches.

The policies and actions in this FMP reflect the limited evidence available for both WoS and Clyde herring stocks and recognise that there are no immediate plans to strengthen this evidence base. In the absence of stronger data, current measures focus on maintaining stock levels, ensuring continued management in line with legal requirements.

Q. 3 For the West Coast of Scotland (and Clyde) herring FMP, do you agree with the proposed policies?

Q. 4: What are your views on the proposed actions for each policy in the West Coast of Scotland (and Clyde) herring FMP?

Atlanto-Scandian herring (ASH) FMP

This FMP focuses on Atlanto-Scandian herring (ASH) (Clupea harengus). ASH is the generic term used for several stocks of herring, the largest of which is the Norwegian spring-spawning (NSS) herring. The terms NSS herring and ASH will be used interchangeably throughout this document when referring to this stock.

ASH is the largest herring stock in the world, however catches of ASH in UK waters are small in comparison to other multi-party pelagic stocks. The landed value in 2023 was worth £5.5 million to the UK fleet.

ASH is a Category 1 stock which means that it has a high level of information available. It is currently assessed as being fished within safe biological limits and is managed under a LTMS agreed between coastal States. Fishing pressure is below FMSY. As a widely distributed and jointly managed stock, its sustainability reflects the cumulative effect of fishing activity across multiple parties. The agreed management framework provides a basis for sustainable exploitation, but its effectiveness depends on continued cooperation and consistent implementation. This FMP, therefore, focuses on ensuring that UK fisheries operate responsibly within that shared management framework. As sufficient evidence is available to assess MSY, the FMP must contain policies and actions which contribute to restoring or maintaining the stock at MSY.

The first two policies in this FMP largely relate to management measures to achieve long-term sustainability of the ASH stock, and the remaining policies set out actions in relation to wider sustainable management.

Q. 5 For the Atlanto-Scandian herring (ASH) FMP, do you agree with the proposed policies?

Q. 6: What are your views on the proposed actions for each policy in the ASHFMP?

Northern Shelf mackerel FMP

This FMP refers to ‘Northern Shelf’ mackerel (Scomber scombrus). The most commonly used name for this mackerel stock is North East Atlantic mackerel, and therefore that term will be used hereafter.

North East Atlantic mackerel is the most commercially important stock, with a value of £354 million in 2024 and constitutes the largest of the total value of species covered by these FMPs. It is a Category 1 stock, but which is currently assessed as being under pressure. This reflects the cumulative effect of fishing by multiple coastal States on a widely distributed and jointly managed stock. While the UK manages its quota in line with domestic objectives, the overall sustainability of the stock depends on effective international cooperation. This FMP therefore focuses on ensuring that UK fisheries operate responsibly within that shared management framework, while supporting efforts to improve overall stock sustainability.

North East Atlantic mackerel is managed jointly with other coastal States, with quota opportunities determined between the UK, EU, Norway, Faroe Islands, Iceland and Greenland. The approach to coastal States negotiations follows the principles for international negotiation stated in the JFS. However, fishing pressure remains above FMSY, meaning the stock is not being harvested sustainably—largely due to the absence of effective international quota-sharing arrangements. There is no agreed LTMS for this fishery, and ICES advice is currently based on an MSY approach.

As this is a shared stock with coastal State partners, we will endeavour to work in cooperation to jointly deliver sustainable management and catching opportunities for this fishery. The ICES advice highlights the importance of international negotiation and cooperation in ensuring the development and delivery of effective management measures for mackerel.

The first two policies set in this FMP largely relate to fisheries management, and the remaining policies set out actions in relation to wider sustainable management.

Q. 7 For the North East Atlantic mackerel FMP, do you agree with the proposed policies?

Q. 8: What are your views on the proposed actions for each policy in the North East Atlantic mackerel FMP?

Northern Shelf blue whiting FMP

This FMP refers to Northern Shelf blue whiting (Micromesistius poutassou) which

is a key commercial stock within UK waters, with the landed value by the UK fleet reaching £25 million in 2024. Use of the blue whiting caught by UK vessels is split between human consumption and industrial purposes. A significant portion of the blue whiting catch goes towards fishmeal and oil.

The Northern Shelf blue whiting is a Category 1 stock which means it has a high level of data available. It is currently assessed as being fished within safe biological limits. However, its sustainability depends on continued adherence to agreed management measures across all participating coastal states. As a widely distributed and jointly managed stock, overall outcomes reflect the cumulative effect of fishing activity across multiple parties. This FMP therefore focuses on ensuring that UK fisheries operate responsibly within that shared management framework, while supporting continued international cooperation.

Quota opportunities are determined between the UK, EU, Norway, Faroe and Iceland. The approach to coastal States negotiations follows the principles for international negotiation stated in the JFS. At the time of writing this FMP, fishing pressure is above FMSY. This is largely due to the lack of a quota sharing arrangement between the relevant coastal States.

The stock is also subject to different management measures in different areas of the sea by individual coastal States and in the high seas by the North East Atlantic Fisheries Commission.

Since 2021, the LTMS for blue whiting^[15] agreed between the UK, EU, Faroe Islands, Iceland, and Norway underpins the catch advice, assessment and wider evidence on the stock.

As this is a shared stock with coastal State partners, we will endeavour to work in cooperation to jointly deliver sustainable management and catching opportunities for this stock. The ICES advice, alongside the fact that there are no joint sharing arrangements in place, underlines the importance of international negotiation and cooperation in ensuring the development and delivery of effective management measures for blue whiting.

The first two policies in this FMP largely relate to stock management, and the remaining policies set out actions in relation to sustainable management.

Q. 9 For the Northern Shelf blue whiting FMP, do you agree with the proposed policies?

Q. 10: What are your views on the proposed actions for each policy in the Northern Shelf blue whiting FMP?