Chamber and committees

A recent Marine Scotland Science report on electrofishing for razor clams suggests that electro-fishing is potentially less damaging than other traditional fishing methods, including the use of dredges, with the exception of hand gathering by divers. The study did not address the broader question of long-term sustainability of razor clam populations under various levels of commercial fishing activity, nor the medium and long-term effects of electrofishing. It also concluded that electrofishing is a much more efficient method of harvesting. The report does not offer any advice on the amount of fishing effort which could be applied in different areas supporting razor populations and recognised that further research is required to establish this.