Fishing (incl. shellfisheries)
This category covers the following activities: anchored nets/lines, electrofishing, traps, pelagic fishing (or fishing activities that do not interact with sea bed), hydraulic dredges, dredges, demersal trawl, demersal seines, diving and sea angling.
Inshore Fisheries and Conservation Authorities (IFCAs)
IFCAs are a competent authority for the management of fishing activities within the inshore (0-6nm) area and, as such, must take the necessary steps to ensure that the conservation objectives of MPAs are furthered. Each IFCA has the ability to introduce byelaws for the management of fishing activities within the inshore (0-6nm) area and, as such, must take the necessary steps to ensure that the conservation objectives of MPAs are furthered. The MMO is the lead regulator for fishing in MPAs between 6 and 12 nautical miles offshore.
Southern IFCA
The three main types of MPA, which Southern IFCA manage fishing activities in, are Marine Conservation Zones (MCZs), Special Areas of Conservation (SACs) and Special Protection Areas (SPAs). Established under different legislation, each have their own set of conservation objectives and protect different species and habitats. SIFCA have produced a summary of the current management, designed to protect MPAs from potentially damaging fishing activities, which is outlined in their conservation pages. There is a full list of Regulations on the SIFCA website.
Sussex IFCA
The Authority has a marine district of approximately 500 square nautical miles containing unique combinations of marine species and habitats, which in turn support significant commercial and recreational fisheries. The district has over 30 charter boat operators in its ports and harbours and numerous tackle shops along the coast to support the angler and their needs.
Five EMS are partly or fully encompassed within the Sussex IFCA district including the Solent Maritime SAC and Chichester and Langstone Harbours SPA. A full list of Sussex IFCA byelaws including those to manage MPAs are available on their website.
Sea Angling
Research led by Centre for Environment, fisheries & Aquaculture Science (Cefas) and Substance provides estimates of the numbers of sea anglers, participation rates, catches and economic impact across the UK in 2016 and 2017. Over a two-year period more than 1,500 sea anglers from across the UK worked with scientists and researchers to keep diaries of what they caught on all their sea angling trips and how much they spent on the sport. In addition, 12,000 residents were surveyed, helping to develop a detailed picture of the UK’s sea angling preferences.
Around 800,000 or 1.6% of UK adults went sea angling at least once each year, fishing for a total of 7 million days. Over 100 fish species were caught the most caught species were whiting, mackerel, dogfish, bass, cod, pollack, dab and bib.
The Sea Angling Diary Project is ongoing and open to anyone who fishes in the sea in the UK to join. Sea anglers get a free mobile app, fish ID booklet and online dashboard and reports of their activity. Anglers can sign up at www.seaangling.org.
Sussex IFCA provides Recreational Sea Angling Information on Marine Protected Areas (MPAs).
Resources
- Monitoring methods for assessing inshore fish communities (Natural England - NECR269)
- MPA Fisheries Management Toolkit 2020
- Association of IFCAs symposium on the Management of the English Blue Belt (March 2020)
- Southern IFCA Solent Manila Clam Management Plan, 2019
- Management of Inshore Marine Protected Areas by the IFCAs 2011 to 2018
- IFCA Map of Management Measures
- Southern IFCA MPA information
- Sussex IFCA MPA information
- Fisheries MPA Management Roles & Responsibilities
- MMO revised approach to the management of commerical fisheries in European Marine Sites
- Sea Angling Diary project
- Defra Fisheries Management information
- Sussex IFCA -'Recreational Sea Angling (RSA) Information on Marine Protected Areas (MPAs)'.
- Chichester Harbour Oyster Partnership Initiative: CHOPI
- Seafish Gear Database
