Herring in the Firth of Clyde: recommending the total allowable catch for 2025: Consultation

5. Control measures and data collection requirements

The control measures and data collection requirements in place are:

1. A complete ban on herring fishing from 1 January to 30 April^[1];

2. A complete ban on all forms of active fishing from 1 February to 1 April, on the Ballantrae Bank spawning grounds, to protect the demersal spawn and prevent disturbance of the spawning shoals (from The Inshore Fishing (Prohibition of Fishing and Fishing Methods) (Scotland) Order 2004);

3. A ban on fishing with mobile or active gear in the Firth of Clyde between 00:00 Saturday morning and 24:00 Sunday night (from The Inshore Fishing (Prohibition of Fishing and Fishing Methods) (Scotland) Order 2004);

4. Vessels are required to enter the Clyde empty with prior notification, and can only land at notified ports. Vessels wishing to land herring at other ports, including abroad, shall first gain permission from the UKFMC and adhere to certain conditions, as set out in the licence;

5. Vessels are required to relinquish other herring licences prior to fishing for Clyde Herring;

6. Vessels are required to provide acoustic and GPS data (where they have the facility to do so) and provide a haul by haul log of catches and time fishing associated with each haul; and

Vessels are required to provide a 15 kg sample of the herring taken during each trip for analysis by Marine Directorate (Science) to determine age, length, weight/length and maturity;

7. A ban on fishing for all sea fish in the area described in The Sea Fish (Prohibition on Fishing) (Firth of Clyde) Order 2024, from 14 February to 30 April in both 2024 and 2025.

In addition and to complement any future management measures, from 7 March 2026, the use of Remote Electronic Monitoring (REM) will be mandated on all relevant pelagic fishing vessels as described in The Sea Fisheries (Remote Electronic Monitoring and Regulation of Scallop Fishing) (Scotland) Regulations 2024.