Nature Conservation Advice from NatureScot and JNCC: Demersal Fisheries Management Plans

1 Scope and purpose of SNCB advice

This document provides Statutory Nature Conservation Bodies (SNCB) advice to inform the development of the Demersal Fisheries Management Plans (Demersal FMPs), focusing on the fisheries contained within these FMPs and their potential risks to:

• The designated features of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) in Scottish waters 
• Priority Marine Features (PMFs)
• UK Marine Strategy (UK MS) descriptors

This advice sets out our approach and a brief assessment of risks to MPA features, PMFs and UK MS descriptors in Scottish waters from demersal fisheries covered by the Demersal FMPs. The advice is premised on the ecosystem-based approach mandated by the Fisheries Act (2020), ensuring fisheries activities within the FMPs contribute to the achievement of Good Environmental Status (GES), as defined by the UK Marine Strategy Regulations 2010.

Although the underlying impact pathways are similar (e.g. bycatch is a risk in all three assessments), there are also important differences. The UK MS and PMFs list cover a much broader range of species than those protected by MPA designations, especially for cetaceans and fish. Also, the underlying objectives differ for each and therefore there may be subtle but important differences to the assessment of risk and precaution. Therefore, our advice is presented separately for MPA features, PMFs and UK MS descriptors.

The advice has scoped in otter trawls, pair trawls, beam trawls, and demersal seines, hereafter referred to as demersal trawls and seines, static nets targeting monk/anglerfish, and longlines targeting hake as being the most relevant gear types for consideration. A more detailed understanding of gear types, specific locations, and fishing efforts will improve the ability to assess environmental risks associated with each FMP and may alter some of the risk-ratings presented. We have made the assumption that these FMPs will adopt the Precautionary Objective in the Fisheries Act, and thus that actions will be put in place to fish the target stock at Maximum Sustainable Yield (MSY) or its equivalent; this advice therefore relates mainly to impacts beyond those to the stocks themselves. However, where we have identified risks to mobile species through prey reduction, management of these stocks may need to consider options which go beyond the current MSY approach.

The primary aim of this advice is to provide a pragmatic steer on where the greatest concerns lie for interactions between relevant demersal fishing activities and the designated features of MPAs, PMFs, and UK MS descriptors. It intends to guide the FMP's development process, focusing on where to best allocate resources to mitigate wider environmental impacts of the fisheries covered by the Demersal FMPs. Further SNCB advice will be required to support the Habitats Regulations Appraisal of any management measures stemming from the FMPs and their potential effects on designated sites and features.