Inshore waters - regulated commercial use of traps/pots to catch wrasse: fisheries assessment
A fisheries assessment of how the Scottish inshore wild wrasse fishery interacts with the Marine Protected Areas network.
5. Assessment of the wrasse fishery on other benthic features in NC MPAs
This assessment considers the targeted removal of wrasse and their role as part of the relevant feature and the associated ecosystem. It also considers the impact of the use of the fishing gear (traps) on specific sensitive benthic features.
5.1 Sites affected
The following 11 NC MPAs have been identified by NatureScot as sites where benthic features (excluding kelp and seaweed communities on sublittoral sediment) are a protected feature and where the Scottish wrasse fishery could potentially exert pressures on features which are sensitive to the removal of wrasse, or the use of traps to catch wrasse.
Lochs Duich, Long and Alsh NC MPA
Upper Loch Fyne and Loch Goil NC MPA
5.2 High level conservation objectives
High level conservation objectives for the sites are that the protected features:
- so far as already in favourable condition, remain in such condition; and
- so far as not already in favourable condition, be brought into such condition, and remain in such condition.
“Favourable condition”, with respect to a marine habitat, means that:
a) its extent is stable or increasing; and
b) its structures and functions, its quality, and the composition of its characteristic biological communities are such as to ensure that it is in a condition which is healthy and not deteriorating.
In paragraph (b) the reference to the composition of the characteristic biological communities of a marine habitat includes a reference to the diversity and abundance of species of marine flora and fauna forming part of, or inhabiting, that habitat.
Site specific conservation objectives are given in the relevant CMA.
5.3 Marine Protected Area assessment
5.3.1 Screening for activities capable of affecting, other than insignificantly, the protected features within the site
Relevant fishing activities are defined as commercial fishing gears (traps) that currently operate or could conceivably operate in the future within this site for the prosecution of wrasse.
Site
Small Isles NC MPA; Loch Carron NC MPA; Upper Loch Fyne and Loch Goil NC MPA; Wester Ross NC MPA; Fetlar to Haroldswick NC MPA; Noss Head NC MPA; Loch Sween NC MPA; South Arran NC MPA; Wyre and Rousay Sounds NC MPA; Shiant East Bank NC MPA
Advice to support management
Reduce or limit pressures associated with static gear (creels) should be considered
Relevant pressures
Removal of target species, surface abrasion, removal of non-target species (incidental bycatch)
Sites where fishing activity has occurred and where there is an indication of future demand.
Site
Fetlar to Haroldswick NC MPA
Circalittoral sand and mixed sediment communities
Horse mussel beds
Maerl beds
Shallow tide-swept coarse sands with burrowing bivalves
Advice to support management - static gear
Reduce or limit pressures associated with static gear (creels) should be considered
Potential interaction with the wrasse fishery
No interaction expected
Removal of target species (including lethal)
N/A
Surface abrasion
N/A
Removal of non-target species (including lethal)
N/A
Site
Wyre and Rousay Sounds NC MPA
Maerl
Advice to support management - static gear
Reduce or limit pressures associated with static gear (creels) should be considered
Potential interaction with the wrasse fishery
No interaction expected
Removal of target species (including lethal)
N/A
Surface abrasion
N/A
Removal of non-target species (including lethal)
N/A
Site
Wester Ross NC MPA
Flame shell beds
Maerl beds
Maerl or coarse shell gravel with burrowing sea cucumbers
Advice to support management - static gear
Reduce or limit pressures associated with static gear (creels) should be considered
Potential interaction with the wrasse fishery
No interaction expected
Removal of target species (including lethal)
N/A
Surface abrasion
N/A
Removal of non-target species (including lethal)
N/A
Site
Loch Sween NC MPA
Burrowed mud
Maerl beds
Native Oysters
Sublittoral mud and mixed sediment communities
Advice to support management - static gear
Reduce or limit pressures associated with static gear (creels) should be considered
Potential interaction with the wrasse fishery
No interaction expected
Removal of target species (including lethal)
N/A
Surface abrasion
N/A
Removal of non-target species (including lethal)
N/A
Sites where no recent recorded wrasse fishing activity has occurred and there is no indication that there will be a future demand. From 2025, no wrasse fishing activity will be authorised in the sites below unless following appropriate review of this assessment.
Site
Small Isles NC MPA
Advice to support management - Static gear
Reduce or limit pressures associated with static gear (creels) should be considered
Potential interaction with the wrasse fishery (typically <10m depth)
No interaction – no fishery currently permitted
Removal of target species (including lethal)
N/A
Surface abrasion
N/A
Removal of non-target species (including lethal)
N/A
Site
Loch Laxford NC MPA
Advice to support management - Static gear
Reduce or limit pressures associated with static gear (creels) should be considered
Potential interaction with the wrasse fishery (typically <10m depth)
No interaction – no fishery currently permitted
Removal of target species (including lethal)
N/A
Surface abrasion
N/A
Removal of non-target species (including lethal)
N/A
Site
Upper Loch Fyne and Loch Goil NC MPA
Advice to support management - Static gear
Reduce or limit pressures associated with static gear (creels) should be considered
Potential interaction with the wrasse fishery (typically <10m depth)
No interaction – no fishery currently permitted
Removal of target species (including lethal)
N/A
Surface abrasion
N/A
Removal of non-target species (including lethal)
N/A
Site
Loch Carron NC MPA
Advice to support management - Static gear
Reduce or limit pressures associated with static gear (creels) should be considered
Potential interaction with the wrasse fishery (typically <10m depth)
No interaction – no fishery currently permitted
Removal of target species (including lethal)
N/A
Surface abrasion
N/A
Removal of non-target species (including lethal)
N/A
Site
Lochs Duich, Long and Alsh NC MPA
Advice to support management - Static gear
Reduce or limit pressures associated with static gear (creels) should be considered
Potential interaction with the wrasse fishery (typically <10m depth)
No interaction – no fishery currently permitted
Removal of target species (including lethal)
N/A
Surface abrasion
N/A
Removal of non-target species (including lethal)
N/A
Site
Noss Head NC MPA
Advice to support management - Static gear
Reduce or limit pressures associated with static gear (creels) should be considered
Potential interaction with the wrasse fishery (typically <10m depth)
No interaction – no fishery currently permitted
Removal of target species (including lethal)
N/A
Surface abrasion
N/A
Removal of non-target species (including lethal)
N/A
Site
South Arran NC MPA
Advice to support management - Static gear
Reduce or limit pressures associated with static gear (creels) should be considered
Potential interaction with the wrasse fishery (typically <10m depth)
No interaction – no fishery currently permitted
Removal of target species (including lethal)
N/A
Surface abrasion
N/A
Removal of non-target species (including lethal)
N/A
Site
Shiant East Bank NC MPA
Advice to support management - Static gear
Reduce or limit pressures associated with static gear (creels) should be considered
Potential interaction with the wrasse fishery (typically <10m depth)
No interaction – no fishery currently permitted
Removal of target species (including lethal)
N/A
Surface abrasion
N/A
Removal of non-target species (including lethal)
N/A
5.4 Conclusion
While there is fishing activity within identified MPAs, it is not considered to have an overlap with the protected features listed above due to wrasse having such a strong association with rocky reefs and kelp communities (Bailey et al., unpublished). Therefore it is assessed that the wrasse fishery is not capable of affecting the conservation objectives for benthic habitats (other than kelp and seaweed communities on sublittoral sediment) within Fetlar to Haroldswick MPA, Wyre and Rousay Sounds MPA, Wester Ross MPA and Loch Sween MPA.
The remaining sites have no recent recorded wrasse fishing activity and there is no indication that there will be a future demand. From 2025, no wrasse fishing activity will be authorised in these sites unless following appropriate review of this assessment.
Contact
Email: inshore@gov.scot