Call for evidence: Dogger Bank king scallop stock closure in ICES rectangles 39F1, 39F2, 39F3, 38F1, 38F2, 38F3, 37F1 and 37F2.
The four UK Fisheries Administrations (FAs) are seeking views and evidence on the impact of the potential implementation of a temporary closure of the king scallop (Pectens maximus) fishery in the Dogger Bank area including in the Special Area of Conservation1 (SAC).
Industry members have implemented voluntary measures within the area to help ensure the sustainability of the stock and have asked UK FAs to implement management measures as soon as possible.
The aim of the closure is to enable the FAs to make an informed review of the current king scallop fishery. Without more detailed analysis of the stock, we do not know if scallops in the area are locally recruiting individuals, whether there is significant larval import/export from the area or what sustainable fishing levels in the fishery are.
This call for evidence will run from 1 July 2020 to 8 July 2020 and is on behalf of the four UK FAs.
For more details read the full Call for Evidence – king scallops