Fishers and fellow stakeholders are being asked to give their views on a range of potential management measures for the sole fishery in Lyme Bay.

The Marine Management Organisation (MMO), working with a steering group of fishers, scientists, policy makers and fisheries managers, have launched an eight-week consultation on a variety of proposals.

The consultation also seeks stakeholders’ opinions on the environmental, social and economic sustainability of the sole fishery in the area.

It was launched following on-going discussions about how to respond to reports of increased sole fishing in Lyme Bay, competition for fishing space, gear conflicts and a reduction in the volume of sole catches and the size of the fish.

The total available quota for sole in ICES area 7e has more than doubled since 2015, enabling MMO to raise monthly catch limits for the non-sector fleets significantly.

The increase in quota availability has led to increased uptake and an increase in the total value earned from sole by those fleets but at the same time concerns have been raised about the potential impact of the increase in fishing activity.

MMO worked with local and national partners to gather data about the sole fishery in Lyme Bay in response to these concerns and has concluded there is sufficient evidence to suggest that potential management measures should be considered.

The consultation will run from 29 March until 28 May.

Potential management measures include:

• Make no change to management in Lyme Bay
• Set a bespoke catch limit for Lyme Bay
• Spatial and / or temporal separation of gear types
• Require enhanced visibility of net markers e.g., the use of colour coded buoys and flags
• Gear restrictions:
  • a limit on the quantity and/or length of fixed net that can be set within Lyme Bay or
  • an increase to the mesh size that can be used in trawls or fixed nets, or
  • restrictions on the specification or use of scallop dredges.