UK: New measures announced to protect crawfish stocks in the southwest

New measures announced to protect crawfish stocks in the southwest. Marine Management Organisation (MMO) is to increase the minimum conservation reference size (MCRS) for crawfish (palinurus spp) in ICES area 7 from 95 mm to 110 mm from 1 January 2024. The decision was taken after a co-design workshop with fishers and considering consultation responses from the draft crab and lobster fisheries management plan. This decision aims to ensure short and long-term sustainability of the stock so that industry can continue to generate income from the valuable species in future. On 3 October 2023 MMO brought fishers and government together to discuss short-term solutions after industry raised concerns about changes to the fishery that they feared threatened the sustainability of stocks. Landings have increased sharply over the last five years while the fishing season has extended into winter and there has been a rise in the number of larger vessels with a bigger catching capacity targeting ...