North Sea Herring Fisheries Management Plan

FMP policies

In developing the policies and actions for this FMP, the fisheries policy authorities have considered the current policy landscape including applicable international agreements and declarations, conservation advice and wider policy development already underway, in addition to considering what additional evidence, measures or policies may be needed to support both the vision of this FMP and delivery of the Fisheries Act 2020 objectives. In most cases, individual actions within this FMP will directly link to one or more of the Act’s objectives and these links are made below. 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.

Effective management of the overall marine space is critical to sustainable development of existing and emerging sectors, and the protection of the marine environment. Whilst not a specific topic that is covered in detail within the FMPs, the fisheries policy authorities are working on a range of policies to help manage the increased demand for marine space, reduce the conflict arising from competition for marine space, and ensure that the right protections are in place to manage broader impacts from wider use. This FMP has been developed within the wider context of the Marine Plans in place in England, Scotland and Northern Ireland. Consideration will also be given to the objectives and principles outlined in the EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement when considering measures.

In Scotland, these policies will help achieve the outcomes set out in the Good Food Nation Plan^[40], and its vision of Scotland becoming ‘a Good Food Nation, where people from every walk of life take pride and pleasure in, and benefit from, the food they produce, buy, cook, serve, and eat each day’

In most cases further policy development work will be needed for any new actions, which could include additional evidence gathering or public consultation, along with the completion of appropriate impact assessments.

It should also be noted that 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 set out below largely relate to management measures to achieve long-term sustainability of the NSAS stock, and the remaining policies set out actions in relation to wider sustainable management.