20% increase in TAC for 2025 season
The Isle of man queenie fishery, which opened on 1 July, got off to a slow start, despite a minimum 20% increase in TAC for the season, and optimism that high catch rates could see a further in-season increase agreed by the industry-led Isle of Man Scallop Management Board.
Just three vessels started the fishery on day one of the season, with three more joining on day two, concentrating their efforts to the west of the island.
The TAC for the 2025 season is set at 1,350t, a 20% increase on the 2024 landings, with the potential to increase this to 1,486t, which is estimated to be 20% of the total stock biomass, if this assessment is confirmed by ongoing monitoring and catch rates.
Individual vessels are subject to a weekly catch limit of 8,520kg, which equates to 284 standard queenie bags, with an additional 2,850kg that can be taken on defined grounds north of the Point of Ayre, the northernmost tip of the Isle of Man.
A number of closed areas have been agreed that will apply at the start of the fishery, to protect juvenile aggregations of queenies, with areas to be monitored as the season progresses.
Will Caley of Isle of Man Sea Products, which owns and operates a number of vessels in the fishery, told FN that the weather on the opening day had been quite difficult, but that fishing had been fair, with ‘the boats all back in by 3pm in spite of the wind’.
By Andy Read
This story was taken from the latest issue of Fishing News. For more up-to-date and in-depth reports on the UK and Irish commercial fishing sector, subscribe to Fishing News here or buy the latest single issue for just £3.50 here.
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