Current management measures are not effective in managing the stock.
Availability of UK whelk fishery data is generally quite poor, and the absence of stock assessments has prevented the definition of Total Allowable Catch (TAC) limits and presents a number of challenges for management.
The current management measure in place for this fishery is a Minimum Landing Size (MLS) of 45mm, which is the whelk EU Minimum Conservation Reference Size (MCRS). Cefas research between 2012-2013 estimated whelk Size of Maturity (SOM - the size at which 50% of the population is sexually mature) in the main fishing grounds across England. Cefas estimates of SOM for all sampled sites except the Solent indicate that the current EU MCRS of 45mm does virtually nothing to protect whelk spawning stocks across England. The study found that SOM in neighbouring Devon and Severn IFCA district to be greater than the EU MCRS of 45mm, at 75.5 mm in the north coast (Ilfracombe) and between 69.2 (males) and 72.4 mm (females) on the south coast (Exmouth). Therefore, the current emergency MLS of 45mm offers insufficient protection to the spawning stock and is not likely to be reflective of whelk SOM within the district. As an independent management measure MLS is not an effective measure to manage whelks.
Permits are not required for the collection of whelks within Cornwall IFCA district. No other management measures are outlined within the districts byelaws, relevant to the fishing of whelk.
Vessels >12m in length are required to use Vessel Monitoring Systems (VMS) and record and report catch data electronically. Vessels <10m must have a licence and collect data on fishing effort and landings.
The whelk fishery in Cornwall IFCA, is very small, and as such minimal sampling of the whelk fishing ground has been conducted. Preliminary findings suggest that the local stock consists of small individuals, however no further work has been conducted to corroborate this. Further research on SOM, for the locally fished whelk populations, is needed to support the development of an appropriate MLS restriction. Further whelk management measures may also be implemented such as the use of appropriate use of riddles. Management actions will be valuable with growing interest in fishing for whelks, and if this small whelk fishery is subject to growth within the future.
Indeed, several viable management strategies have been suggested by various IFCA districts to protect and rebuild overexploited stocks, including compulsory sorting based on defined length-width relationships, gear and effort constraints (e.g. limits on pot size and quantity), and closed seasons during important reproductive periods. An increase to the current MLS has been suggested as another feasible management measure in numerous studies. Such measures, could support better management of the stock within the districts alongside localised stock assessments.
The Whelk Working Group (WWG) was formed in 2019 to facilitate the exchange of information relating to the common whelk, Buccinum undatum, between Fisheries and Conservation Authorities (IFCAS), other government agencies, fisheries authorities, academics, researchers and others interested in whelk fisheries. WWG aims to help improve and develop the understanding of whelk and look at the advantages of joint working to develop appropriate management. WWG is comprised of representatives from organisations engaged in the provision of evidence, advice and management of the whelk fishery on a national level. The WWG offers encouraging opportunities for future growth of effective whelk management by working together to improve communication, collaboration and consistency.
Both the EU and UK have fishery management measures in place, which can include catch limits, targets for population sizes and fishing mortality, and controls on what fishing gear can be used and where. In the EU, compliance with regulations has been variable, and there are ongoing challenges with implementing some of them. There was a target for fishing to be at Maximum Sustainable Yield by 2020, but this was not achieved. The Landing Obligation (LO), an EU law that the UK has kept after Brexit, requires all fish and shellfish to be landed, even if they are unwanted (over-quota or below minimum size). It aims to promote more selective fishing methods, reduce bycatch, and improve recording of everything that is caught, not just what is wanted. Compliance with the LO is generally poor and actual levels of discards are difficult to quantify using the current fisheries observer programme.
In the UK, it is too early to tell how effective management is, as the Fisheries Act only came into force in January 2021. The Act requires the development of Fisheries Management Plans (FMPs) (replacing EU Multi-Annual Plans) but there are no details yet on how and when these will be developed. FMPs have the potential to be very important tools for managing UK fisheries, although data limitations may delay them for some stocks. MCS is keen to see FMPs for all commercially exploited stocks, especially where stocks are depleted, that include:
Targets for fishing pressure and biomass, and additional management when those targets are not being met
Timeframes for stock recovery
Technologies such as Remote Electronic Monitoring (REM) to support data collection and improve transparency and accountability
Consideration of wider environmental impacts of the fishery
