Question reference: S6W-19594
- Asked by: Jackie Dunbar, MSP for Aberdeen Donside, Scottish National Party
- Date lodged: 29 June 2023
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Current status: Initiated by the Scottish Government. Answered by Gillian Martin on 30 June 2023
Question
To ask the Scottish Government how it will protect the Firth of Clyde cod seasonal spawning in future.
Answer
The Scottish Government’s Fisheries Management Strategy sets out a clear approach for managing sea fisheries in partnership with our stakeholders in a way that balances environmental, social and economic interests.
Sustainability is at the heart of how we manage Scotland’s fisheries, and an important part of protecting spawning cod in the Firth of Clyde is through a targeted seasonal closure, in the same way as we protect spawning cod in other parts of our seas. We have authorised a full closure of the spawning grounds in the last two years, without exemptions, following a reassessment of the knowledge of these spawning grounds.
As this closure is implemented on a biennial basis, we are now undertaking a public consultation which will run for 12 weeks to gather views on the continuation of the closure for 2024 and 2025. The consultation will run from 30 June to 22 September 2023 on Citizen Space. The consultation is available at https://consult.gov.scot/marine-scotland/firth-of-clyde-cod-spawning-closure-for-2024-25/
A partial BRIA has been produced alongside the consultation document and we will be seeking further information from stakeholders to input into the final BRIA following the consultation period.
We have a strong record of engaging with stakeholders and I would encourage all to respond to this consultation.
The consultation reports can be found here: