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Fisheries Management Plans


This page provides information and updates on the national process for developing Fisheries Management Plans (FMPs) under The Fisheries Act 2020. FMPs will be evidence-based action plans, developed in collaboration with the fishing sector and other stakeholders. Their purpose is to deliver sustainable fisheries for current and future generations.

Defra is responsible for preparing plans, but will work collaboratively with delivery partners and the fishing sector to develop FMPs. Defra will also work with other marine industries, policy makers, scientists and environment groups when preparing FMPs.

Stakeholders will have various opportunities to engage throughout the drafting process and through public consultations.

This page is designed to signpost our stakeholders to sources of information on each FMP, engagement opportunities and to provide updates from the delivery partners responsible for the development of each FMP. Please use the links below to view information on a specific FMP.

 

Frontrunners Publication

5 Frontrunner FMPs were published on 14/12/2023.

The final Frontrunner FMP - Southern North Sea and Eastern Channel Mixed Flatfish FMP - was published on 10/10/2024.

Please follow the link to the gov.uk website.

Specific FMPs, associated documents, and consultation surveys can be found through the links provided under the relevant Frontrunner FMP sections.

Upcoming FMP Specific Engagement

There is currently no upcoming engagement within the District.

FMP Posters and Information

Defra have released informative posters which outline FMPs. Posters will be distributed throughout the district in local ports. The posters include QR codes to further information and contact details for each FMP. Please find the links below:

Defra FMPs

The MMO have created posters for 5 of the frontrunner FMPs to show the key information and goals.
Please find the links below:

Whelk

King Scallop

Crab and Lobster

Bass

Non-Quota Species

Sections for Individual FMPs

Frontrunner FMPs - Published

King Scallop FMP

To access the King Scallop FMP, please follow this link.

The king scallop FMP was published on 14/12/2023 and was developed by Defra and the Welsh Government in partnership with the Scallop Industry Consultation Group (SICGWG). It applies to King Scallop (Pecten maximus) stocks in English and Welsh waters.

Contact Details for King Scallop FMP

Seafish - fisheriesmanagementplans@seafish.co.uk

Crab and Lobster FMP

To access the Crab and Lobster FMP, please follow this link.

The Crab and Lobster FMP was published on 14/12/2023 and was developed by Defra in partnership with Seafish (the Sea Fish Industry Authority) and the Crab and Lobster Management Group (CMG). The crab and lobster FMP covers stocks in English waters only.

The species Covered within the FMP are as follows:
 

Primary Species Secondary Species
Brown/ edible crab (Cancer paguras) Common prawn (Palaemon serratus)
European lobster (Homarus gammarus) Velvet swimming crab (Necora puber)
Crawfish (Palninarus elephas)
Common spider crab (Maja rachydactyla)

Contact Details for Crab and Lobster FMP:

Seafish - fisheriesmanagementplans@seafish.co.uk

Southern North Sea and Eastern Channel Mixed Flatfish FMP

To access the Flatfish FMP information, please follow this link.

The Flatfish FMP was published on 10/10/2024.

The Flatfish FMP was develoepd by Defra and covers the stocks in English waters within ICES ares 4b, 7d and 7e. The FMP applies the following nine quota and non-quota species:
 
plaice (Pleuronectes platessa) common sole (Solea solea) turbot (Scophthalmus maximus)
brill (Scophthalmus rhombus) lemon sole (Microstomus kitt) witch (Glyptocephalus cynoglossus)
dab (Limanda limanda) flounder (Platichthys flesus) halibut (Hippoglossus hippoglossus)


Contact Details for North Sea and Eastern Channel Mixed Flatfish FMP:

FlatFishFMP@defra.gov.uk
 

Whelk FMP

To access the Whelk FMP information, please follow this link.

The Whelk FMP was published on 14/12/2023 and was developed by Defra in partnership with Seafish (the Sea Fish Industry Authority) and the Whelk Management Group. The FMP covers whelk (Buccinum undatum) stocks in English water ICES areas 4 and 7:

  • North Sea
  • English Channel 
  • Celtic Sea
  • Irish Sea

Contact Details for Whelk FMP:

Seafish -  fisheriesmanagementplans@seafish.co.uk

Bass FMP

To access the Bass FMP information, please follow this link.

The Bass FMP was published on 14/12/2023 and is a joint plan between Defra and the Welsh Government. It covers Seabass (Dicentrarchus labrax) stocks in English and Welsh waters:

  • Central and Southern North Sea
  • Irish Sea
  • English Channel
  • Bristol Channel
  • Celtic Sea

Contact Details for Bass FMP:

Policy Lab- bass@policylab.gov.uk

Channel Demersal Non-Quota Species (NQS) FMP

To access the Non-Quota Species FMP, please follow this link

The NQS FMP was published on 14/12/2023 and was developed by the Marine Management Organisation. It covers 19 non-quota stock species in ICES areas 7d and 7e (Eastern and Western English Channel).
 

Bony FishElasmobranchsCephalapods
Bib/ pouting (Trisopterus luscus)Lesser spotted dogfish/ catshark (Scyliorhinus canicula)Common cuttlefish (Sepia officinalis)
Brill (Scophthalmus rhombus)Starry smoothhound (Mustelus asterias)Elegant cuttlefish (Sepia elegans)
Lemon sole (Microstomus kitt)Common smoothhound (Mustelus mustelus)Common octopus (Octopus vulgaris)
Turbot (Scophthalmus maximus)Curled octopus (Eledone cirrhosa)
John dory (Zeus faber)Veined squid/ long finned squid (Loligo forbesii)
Red mullet/ surmullet (Mullus surmuletus)European common squid (Alloteuthis subulata)
Grey gurnard (Eutrigla gurnardus)Common squid/ European squid (Loligo vulgaris)
Red gurnard (Chelidonichthys cuculus)
Tub gurnard (Chelidonichthys lucerna)

Contact Details for Channel NQS FMP:

Marine Management Organisation: fmp@marinemanagement.org.uk .

Cuttlefish Fishery Action Plan

The Channel Demersal NQS FMP highlighted the cuttlefish fishery as a data poor species, while being of high economic importance and at risk of overexploitation. One of the short term measures of the FMP was to create an action plan for the cuttlefish fishery. The MMO reviewed stakeholder responses and analysed landings data and concluded that there is no clear indication that the fishery is being exploited beyond sustainable limit and MMO are not looking to introduce any formal management at this time. The long-term aim of the action plan is to deliver sustainable exploitation of the cuttlefish fishery, the first versionbof the action plan aims to introduce greater monitoring and data collection to help inform future management.

As a result the following have been published: Action Plan, Trap and Pot Handling Voluntary Code of Practice and Cuttlefish Species ID Cards.

Further information on all of these can be found at the following link:
Cuttlefish Action Plan

Tranche 3 FMPs

Cockle FMP

The cockles FMP is being developed by the Association of IFCAs (AIFCA), working with the relevant IFCAs, and will cover English waters only in ICES areas: 4b, 4c, 7a, 7d, 7e, 7f, 7g, 7h, 7j.

Contact Details for the Cockles FMP:

CockleFMP@association-ifca.org.uk

Engagement Opportunities

The consultation on the draft Cockle FMP was launched on 10/10/24 - the consultation is open until 23:59 on Sunday 19 January 2025.
Please click here for the consultation.

Queen Scallop FMP

The queen scallop FMP is currently being developed by Defra and covers the stocks in English waters and will cover English waters only in ICES areas: 4b, 4c, 7a, 7d, 7e, 7f, 7g, 7h, 7j.

Contact Details for the Queen Scallop FMP:

shellfish@defra.gov.uk

Engagement Opportunities:

The consultation on the draft Queen Scallop FMP was launched on 10/10/24 - the consultation is open until 23:59 on Sunday 19 January 2025.
Please click here for the consultation.

Southern North Sea and Channel Skates and Rays FMP

The Southern North Sea and Channel Skates and Rays FMP is currently being developed by the Marine Management Organisation. Publication is set for December 2024. The FMP will cover stock in English waters within ICES divisions 4b, 4c, 7d and 7e and includes the folloiwng species:

  • blonde ray
  • cuckoo ray
  • small-eyed ray
  • spotted ray
  • starry ray
  • thornback ray
  • undulate ray

Contact Details for the Southern North Sea and Eastern Channel Skates and Rays FMP:

fmp@marinemanagement.org.uk


Engagement Opportunities

The consultation on the draft Southern North Sea and Channel Skates and Rays FMP was launched on 10/10/24 - the consultation is open until 23:59 on Sunday 19 January 2025.
Please click here for the consultation.

North Sea and Channel Sprat FMP

The North Sea and Channel Sprat FMP is a joint plan between Defra and the Scottish Government. The plan is currently being developed by Cefas and covers English and Scottish waters within ICES areas 4, 7d and 7e. Publication is set for December 2024.

Contact Details for the North Sea and Channel Sprat FMP:

fmp@cefas.gov.uk

Engagement Opportunities

The consultation on the draft North Sea and Channel Sprat FMP was launched on 10/10/24 - the consultation is open until 23:59 on Sunday 19 January 2025.
Please click here for the consultation.

Tranche 4 FMPs

Celtic Seas and Western Channel Pelagic

The Celtic Seas and Western Channel Pelagic FMP is a joint plan berween Defra and the Welsh Government and is set for publicationin 2025. The plan will cover stocks of herring, pilchards, greater silver smelt, horse macheral and anchovy within the ICES areas 7e, 7f, 7g and 7h, in Welsh and English waters only.

Contact Details:

cswcpelagicfmp@marinemanagement.org.uk

Engagement Opportunities

Southern IFCA will keep stakeholders updated with any upcoming engagement surrounding the FMP.  To give your views or register for future engagement events for the pelagic FMP, contact the FMP team through the email provided.

Celtic Seas and Western Channel Demersal

 

The Celtic Seas and Western Channel Pelagic FMP is currently being developed by Defra and is set for publication in 2025. The plan will cover stocks in English and Welsh waters within ICES divisions 7e, 7f, 7g and 7h. The plan will include the following species:

  • monkfish/anglerfish
  • cod
  • haddock
  • plaice
  • thornback ray
  • sole
  • blue ling
  • deep water sharks*
  • saithe
  • round nose grenadier
  • red seabream
  • skates and rays*
  • megrim
  • four spotted megrim
  • pollack
  • nephrops
  • whiting

Celtic Sea and Western Channel demersal Fisheries Management Plan (FMP) development - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
 

    Contact Details:

    fmp@marinemanagement.org.uk

    Engagement Opportunities

    The MMO has launched an online survey to seek views on future management of demersal fisheries in the Celtic Sea and Western Channel. The MMO is leading the development of the Celtic Sea and Western Channel Demersal FMP which covers demersal stocks in English and Welsh waters in ICES areas 7e, 7f, 7g and 7h. The FMP covers demersal species such as pollack, cod, monkfish/anglerfish, nephrops and skates & rays. The online survey seeks to improve understanding of the fisheries, including gaps in data, current issues and potential future management measures. 

    The survey closes on 31st January 2025.

    The survey can be accessed here.

     

    Seabreams

    The Seabreams FMP is currently being developed by the Marine Management Organisation and is set to be published in 2025. The FMP focuses on black seabream and gilthead bream in the Southern North Sea, English Channel, Bristol Channel and Celtic Sea (ICES (International Council for the Exploration of the Sea) Divisions 4b, 4c, 7a, 7d, 7e, 7g, 7h, and 7j). 

    Black Seabream Fisheries Management Plan (FMP) development - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

    Contact Details:

    fmp@marinemanagement.org.uk

    Engagement Opportunities:

    Please see the section of this webpage on 'Upcoming FMP Specific Engagement' for details of three MMO workshops being run in the Southern IFCA District in January 2025 for this and the Wrasses Complex FMP.

    The MMO are running a short online survey on the Black Seabream and Wrasses Complex FMPs to help the MMO's understanding of the fisheries and the issues and opportunities sea anglers and commercial fishers think will affect them over the coming years. A further objective of the survey is to identify a wider set of stakeholders for involvement in more engagement as the FMPs are developed. 

    The survey closes on 31st January 2025.

    The survey can be accessed here - Wrasse and seabream views vital - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk).

    Wrasses Complex

    The wrasses complex FMP is currently being developed by the Marine Management Organisatin and is set to be published in 2025.The plan will cover ICES divisions: 4b, 4c, 7a, 7d, 7e, 7f, 7h, 7g and 7j (English waters). The plan will incude the following species:

    • ballan
    • corkwing
    • rock cook
    • goldsinny
    • cuckoo

    Wrasse Complex Fisheries Management Plan (FMP) development - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
     

    Contact Details:

    fmp@marinemanagement.org.uk

    Engagement Opportunities:

    Please see the section of this webpage on 'Upcoming FMP Specific Engagement' for details of three MMO workshops being run in the Southern IFCA District in January 2025 for this and the Seabreams FMP.

    The MMO are running a short online survey on the Black Seabream and Wrasses Complex FMPs to help the MMO's understanding of the fisheries and the issues and opportunities sea anglers and commercial fishers think will affect them over the coming years. A further objective of the survey is to identify a wider set of stakeholders for invovlement in more engagement as the FMPs are developed. 

    The survey closes on 31st January 2025.

    The survey can be accessed here - Wrasse and seabream views vital - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk).

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