Latent capacity in the over 10m scallop and shellfish fleet

We are now an independent coastal State. We are committed to developing a world-class fisheries management system. It will embrace sustainable fishing and support a diverse, profitable and sustainable fleet which serves the needs of coastal communities and the UK economy. One of our priorities in this ambitious agenda is to improve how we manage non-quota stocks such as shellfish, whelks, cuttlefish etc. We want these profitable but data-poor stocks to be healthy and abundant and managed sustainably, enriching the diversity of our marine environment and coastal communites. To achieve that aim, we in Defra are working with the Scallop Industry Consultation Group, the Shellfish Industry Advisory Group and its species-specific sub-groups, to develop a future management programme for non-quota species. The scallop and shellfish industry/government management groups have identified two areas of work that require further considerat