Rural Affairs and Islands Committee
Sea Fish (Prohibition on Fishing) (Firth of Clyde) (No. 2) Order 2022 (SSI 2022/35)
Background
Since 2001, a specific area in the Firth of Clyde has been closed to fishing each year for 11 weeks between 14th February and 30th April to protect spawning cod. The closure is implemented by a Scottish Statutory Instrument (SSI). The purpose of this closure is to protect cod from disturbance from fishing activity during spawning and promote recovery of the stock.
In previous years, the SSI provided exemptions for Nephrops (langoustine) trawlers, creels and scallop dredgers. In comparison with previous closures, the closure provided for by the No. 2 Order 2022 is smaller in size but removes all exemptions, meaning that fishing activity by any method would be prohibited during the seasonal closure, in order to increase the protection for spawning cod.
The Scottish Government states the No.2 Order “maximises protection of spawning cod and the habitats they are likely to spawn on by prohibiting all fishing activity within two smaller, targeted areas of the Firth of Clyde, whilst allowing fishing activity to continue where possible.”
Your views
More information on the instrument
Please note this call for views was originally seeking views on the Sea Fish (Prohibition on Fishing) (Firth of Clyde) Order 2022 (SSI 2022/5) and was due to close on Wednesday 2 February. Following the announcement by the Scottish Government to revoke the 2022 Order, the call for views was extended to cover the Sea Fish (Prohibition on Fishing) (Firth of Clyde) (No. 2) Order 2022 (SSI 2022/35) until 23 February.