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Future Fisheries Management LIVE is taking place in Lowestoft. Photo: MMO
The Future Fisheries Management LIVE is taking place today, 15 August at Lowestoft Library (Britten Room), Clapham Road South, Lowestoft
This is a drop-in session and there is no requirement to book. Doors open at 2.00pm, which will be followed by a short presentation at 2.15pm, with the event ending at 5.00pm.
The Future Fisheries LIVE event offers stakeholders to provide their input on consultations and this event is for anyone with an interest in commercial fishing, recreational fishing, and the marine environment.
The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) has published a number of important consultations on changes that will transform the way we manage our fisheries – ensuring we deliver a thriving, sustainable fishing industry and healthy marine environment for generations to come.
This event will inform stakeholders what these reforms mean for UK fisheries management and contribute your views to a range of consultations.
New fisheries reforms and consultations
The introduction of Fisheries Management Plans (FMPs) sits at the heart of these reforms and the first six FMPs, and their associated environmental reports have been published for consultation. This covers:
- Crabs and lobsters in English waters
- Whelks in English waters
- King scallop in English and Welsh waters
- Bass in English and Welsh waters
- Non-quota demersal species in the Channel
- Flatfish in the southern North Sea and eastern Channel
Defra is also consulting on a range of other important changes. These include:
- Expanding the use of remote electronic monitoring (REM) in English waters
- Introducing a new approach to managing discards in England.
- Establishing a licensed recreational bluefin tuna fishery, providing economic opportunities for coastal towns and rural communities.
- Permanently lifting the licence cap on the amount of quota fish that small vessels can catch in English waters.
