Defra has unveiled five new fisheries management plans (FMPs) to protect the country’s marine environment and support jobs in coastal communities.
The latest plans cover North Sea and Channel sprat, cockle, queen scallop, southern North Sea and Channel skates and rays, and southern North Sea demersal non-quota species.
Developed in collaboration with the fishing industry and other stakeholders, the plans set out policies and evidence-based actions to safeguard important fish stocks.
“These new fisheries management plans demonstrate our commitment to working hand-in-hand with the fishing industry to secure the long-term future of UK fish stocks and the livelihoods that rely on them – ensuring Britain’s fishing industry remains strong and prosperous for decades to come,” said fisheries minister Angela Eagle.
Defra said that the plans mark a shift in how these stocks are managed and play “a vital role in charting a course towards long-term sustainability for our fisheries and the businesses that rely on them”.
Actions being considered as part of the plans include establishing a pilot drift net fishery for sprat in the North Sea and the Channel and introducing voluntary guidelines for skates and rays to improve species identification.
Mike Cohen, chief executive of the National Federation of Fishermen’s Organisations, welcomed the “ambitious” FMPs.
“There are no short-cuts here and no easy solutions on offer,” Cohen said. “This is a grown-up approach to an important issue, and – more than ever before – it gives a voice to the people most affected by the decisions being made.”
Read more: UK secures nearly £1bn in fishing opportunities for 2026
The latest FMPs follow already published plans for bass, Channel demersal non-quota species, crab and lobster, king scallop, southern North Sea and eastern Channel mixed flatfish, and whelk.
The Joint Fisheries Statement lists 43 fisheries management plans to help deliver the government’s obligations under the Fisheries Act 2020, the Joint Fisheries Statement and the England Environmental Improvement Plan.
“The UK’s fisheries may be centuries old, but they are still deeply important,” said Cohen. “They provide thousands of jobs, and a sense of place and tradition that lies at the heart of many coastal communities.”
The announcement follows the securing of nearly £1bn in fishing opportunities, after a series of separate agreements with the EU, Norway and other coastal states. The government sustainability was at the heart of the negotiations, over which hung concerns over depleting fish stocks.
No comments yet