UK: Scottish crab and lobster management improvements from May

Scottish crab and lobster management improvements from May. From 12th May 2024, selected interim measures will be implemented in Scotland including: Scottish inshore fisheries are vital to our economy and rural communities, but our science shows crab and lobster stocks are under pressure from overfishing in many areas. The Scottish Government are aware that concerns over the health of these stocks are shared by many of our fishers and localised, stakeholder-driven initiatives have focussed on addressing declining catch rates for crab and lobster. Earlier this year, working with the Regional Inshore Fisheries Groups (RIFGs) and Fisheries Management and Conservation (FMAC) Inshore Fisheries Subgroup, we began engaging with hundreds of fishermen and representatives to address these challenges head-on and formalise solutions. Central to this approach is collaborating with industry on how we might use short-term interim measures to improve the health of shellfish stocks and overall ...