Source: Institute of Fisheries Management
“Taking them into account in deciding the regulation of the marine environment is a major shift in the focus of fisheries management and the development of recreational sea angling is one of three key actions for fisheries and conservation regulators in Devon and the adjoining Severn estuary.” Dr. Libby Ross, senior environment officer of the Devon and Severn Inshore Fisheries and Conservation Authority (D&SIFCA), said at the annual conference of the Institute of Fisheries Management.
She told the conference that after extensive consultation a sea angling strategy had been produced aimed at working with anglers in the district and observed:
“This comprises three pilot zones to test the design and application of fisheries management through voluntary codes of conduct to improve sea angling.”
The zones are the inshore wreck of the Emsstrom off the south Devon coast near Torquay, the coastline in Somerset from Burnham-on-Sea to Brean Down, both designated as no-netting or longlining areas, and the Skerries Bank area in Start Bay, south Devon.
Dr. Ross said the Skerries Bank area will have voluntary limitations preventing future increases in commercial netting and longlining, banning the commercial targeting of plaice, and restricting the size of commercial fishing vessels.
“There will also be a voluntary bag limit for anglers fishing the Skerries of ten plaice and three rays per angler per day, to ensure the balance provided by the new management benefits true recreational anglers.”
Despite these changes, she said, some anglers felt the new restrictions did “not go far enough” towards balancing the needs of recreational and commercial fishing.
“We understand there will be some disappointment with their voluntary nature. However, at present there is very little highly reliable data to inform management decisions on the level of activity and the impacts of inshore netting, and the socio-economic comparisons of the different fishing sectors.
Dr. Ross added that detailed study of the fishing activities within the sites, the socio-economic effects and the perceived influence on the angling experience “may provide us with evidence to help further develop the angling strategy.”
