Razor clam scientific trial – Fisheries Assessment
A fisheries assessment for the Scottish razor clam scientific trial extension. This report assesses the potential impact of the razor clam scientific trial with reference to priority marine features, and the conservation objectives of a variety of sites in Scotland's MPA network.
6. Management measures to be introduced as a result of this Assessment
There will be a change to the boundary of the razor trial area in Colonsay to eliminate the possibility of conflict between razor clam fishing and seagrass beds (Figure 17).
This closure is likely to have a negligible impact on fishing effort. While the area close to the coast was fished heavily in the early years of the trial, most effort in this trial area now focuses on the Tarbert Bank. The anticipated impact on fishing effort from REM data is a reduction of 4.5% if calculating from activity in all years, or 0.6% if excluding year 1 on the assumption fishing patterns have permanently changed in this trial area.
