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Isle of Man scallop season: Government introduces 'strict' new quotas

BBC King ScallopsBBC
The king scallop industry is worth £12m to the Isle of Man annually

The Manx government has introduced catch limits ahead of the annual king scallop season amid sustainability concerns.

The fisheries department said each vessel will be restricted to catching 1,050kg (2,315lb) per day.

The number of licensed scallop fishing boats has also been cut from about 150 last year to 94 in 2017.

The department said the changes follow recommendations from marine scientists at Bangor University.

A spokesman said studies show an "unwelcome downward trend" in the king scallop population in Manx Territorial waters, which extend 12 miles from the coast.

Manxscenes.com Fishing BoatManxscenes.com
Last year 4,276 tonnes of king scallops were landed on the Isle of Man (including catches made from outside Manx waters)

The king scallop season, worth more than £12m to the Manx economy each year, runs between November and May.

The newly imposed catch size will run alongside other rules such as a fishing curfew between 18:00 and 06:00 and a requirement for vessels to be fitted with a tracker.

"The fishery will be robustly policed and anyone found flouting the law will face prosecution as we safeguard the industry in the long term," said Environment, Food and Agriculture Minister Geoffrey Boot.