Consultation on the proposed Channel Skates and Rays Fisheries Management Plan

 

Overview

The purpose of this consultation is to seek your views on the proposed Southern North Sea and Channel skates and rays Fisheries Management Plan (FMP), its policies and proposed actions and measures. We are also seeking your views on the likely environmental effects of the FMP, as set out in the environmental report.

As set out in the JFS, FMPs are to be developed for those stocks that are of social and economic importance, at risk of significant over-exploitation and have an ecosystem significance. Therefore, the Southern North Sea and English Channel skates and rays FMP in its first iteration covers the following seven species (11 stocks) of rays within English waters in International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES) divisions 4b and 4c (Southern North Sea) and 7d and 7e (English Channel):

thornback ray (Raja clavata)

blonde ray (Raja brachyura)

undulate ray (Raja undulata)

small-eyed ray (Raja microocellata)

spotted ray (Raja montagui)

cuckoo ray (Leucoraja naevus)

starry ray (Amblyraja radiata).

The southern North Sea and Channel skates and rays FMP sets out a pathway to the long-term sustainable management of the Southern North Sea and Channel skates and rays fisheries in English waters. The FMP sets out goals for the fishery and short and long-term actions to achieve them. 

Why your views matter

This consultation is an opportunity for you to help shape and influence the future of skates and rays management policy in England and builds upon previous engagement with industry.

Responses

This consultation will run for 14 weeks, closing at 23:59 on 19 January 2025. You can find the FMP and associated documents in the ‘related documents’ section at the bottom of this page.

Please read the consultation document before responding to this consultation.

To submit your consultation response please:

Complete the consultation questionnaire through this link.


Please scroll through the consultation doc below before completing the survey:

or send additional information or documents to the Fisheries Management Plans policy team by email to FMPconsultations@defra.gov.uk

respond by post using the address below

Fisheries Management Plans team
Marine & Fisheries Directorate
Seacole Building
2 Marsham Street

SW1P 4DF

Ideas a-plenty from the Concarneau twinning visit to Newlyn.

With the port's largest boat leaving the harbour...

leaving just the netter, Govenek of Ladram alongside the Mary Williams pier...

as Paul Durkin, chair of the harbour commissioners welcomed, in his best French, members of the twinning teams from Concarneau and Penzance...

then it was the turn Concarneau's mayor, Marc Bigot to reciprocate, also in french, but ably translated by Penzance's mayor Stephen Reynolds...

for many years, Marc headed up the Committee de Peche and the Concarneau Maritime Museum so his knowledge and understanding of the fishing industry are second to none - the working lunch held in the harbour boardroom saw a number of fishing and heritage representatives discuss opportunities for the mutual benefit of both - on the fishing side Cornwall Sardine Management Association chair, Gus Caslake was able to explore exchange visits of sardine fishermen and, with Newlyn's FISH Trust planning on developing the old Ice Works as heritage centre, Jeanette Ratcliffe was able to share their ideas and plans to tell the story of the Newlyn's rich maritime history...

there followed a slideshow of photos, in some cases going back over 100 years, with many examples of Concarneau and other Breton boats in Newlyn and a proposition that, with the changes coming for EU vessels in 2026, an opportunity for the online auctions systems used both here and in Brittany to join forces and enable Breton (and other) boats to land in Newlyn...

before leaving, Marc (left) presented Paul Durkin with an original print by Breton artist, Olivier Lapicque depicting a fisherman holding a huge tuna - Concarneau has a fleet of tuna boats that fish around the world...

after lunch, the harbour was left all quiet save the gulls enjoying the view from the comfort of the solar panels atop the market.

After a stormy few days, it's a busy start to the week in Newlyn

Sunday afternoon and it's all eyes on the sea, another shift ended for National Coastwatch Institute member as he lowers the Cape Cornwall station flags...

looking towards a very hazy Lands End and remembering the the NCI was founded here in Cornwall by Captain Tony Starling-Lark and Newlyn fisherman, Peter Rayment who were there along with Jenny Agutter to open first watch station was at Bass Point on the Lizard in November 1994...

Monday morning in Newlyn and all is quiet...

as Stevenson's men of action spring in to action...

as the sun blasts through the heavily saturated air in the bay...

most of the fish on the market came for trip boat landings from the Billy Rowney...

head-on monk from the seiner Acionna...

John Dory from the Crystal Sea...

top quality hake from the seiner...

and some fresher then fresh congers from the big beam trawler...

inshore trawlers managed a few tows in between gale force winds over the weekend...

while the Sea Breeze landed this 204kg bluefin...

there's mackerel out there of you know where to find them...,

bass...

and red mullet too...

the other bluefin from the Elle V weight in at over 630lbs

things brightened up quickly enough...

as the fish market rush-hour got underway...

the gulls flew in looking for breakfast...

as the Nicola of Ladram landed another trip of brown crab and lobster...

while some of the fleet lay at rest.

 

As week draws to a close it's the first FishyFriday in October.

Time Tom took ice aboard the Guardian...

on a sunny Thursday...

the local gull population making the most of the solar panels on the market...

late Thursday evening and the sardine fleet find fish...

 off Mullion on the Lizard...

so it is the early hours of Friday morning before they are back in Newlyn to land...

alongside the fish market...

though for the first time we see the huge fish pump in action on the quay that...

the Pelagic marksman is now using...

all the boats land at the same time...

 to get their fish ashore and aboard the waiting transport...

now, inside the fish market the landings from many of the inshore fleet are all set for the online auction...

which starts at 6am, there are early sign of the cuttle season starting in some landings...

as ever, the inshore boats land top quality fish...

like this racking bream, but which bream species is it?..

one of three big bluefin landed that evening...

though it remains a mystery to many why they are so named as their fins are most definitely not blue...

one of the top handline men from the other Bay had a good day...

as did Cap'n Cod aboard the Butts- with Newlyn's youngest fisherman to join the handline fleet aboard Chris Morley's old boat Rachel & Paul, doing his best to out-fish the master...

yet more inshore fish, beautifully presented for auction.

Anger and frustration from fishermen as the South-west crawfish consultation results have been announced!

And the response from one crawfish fishermen. 

Concern for crawfish management back in 2022.

Behind the anger and frustration of fishermen is a growing sense that whatever they contribute by way of information and suggestions as to how best manage the fishery - the MMO does not appear to have heeded anything or be capable of acting on said advice. This and other recent fishery management decisions (eg brown crab, pollack) now cause fishermen to doubt the ability of the MMO to do nothing other then be re-active rather than proactive and to take the easy way out by appeasing a few in implementing species identified in the Fisheries Management Plans.

"On current evidence all the meetings, consultations, FMPs and workshops are frankly a waste of time unless there is political will from UK 🇬🇧 Govt to manage fisheries properly. Central to that must be steps to ensure stocks are maintained or can increase over time."

The anger and frustration are real - as are the consequences for a fishery that could be disastrous.

The MMO have said:

"Having considered the consultation responses, scientific and environmental evidence, socio-economic impacts and relevant legislation and policy, MMO will introduce a closure of the crawfish fishery for all UK and EU vessels in: 

English waters of ICES area 7 from 16 December 2024 to 31 May 2025 (inclusive). 

This closure length will protect berried and juvenile crawfish whilst balancing socio-economic considerations and allowing the shellfish industry time to adapt business processes."

Further information on a summary of responses received and reasoning behind the decision is available in the decision document.