Common whelk

With limited data for Common whelk and an absence of stock assessments within Southern IFCA district, there is concern for stock biomass. Annual catch appears to be increasing and with no sustainable limit defined there is concern for fishing pressure in the area. Route 2 scoring has been applied to this rating owing to the lack of reference points for fishing pressure and biomass. There are no assessments of the resilience or vulnerability of this species. MCS considers common whelk to have low resilience to fishing pressure, based on several life history parameters. These are the species sedentary life history characteristics, a high larval mortality from urchin predation, occurrence of sub-populations in small spatial scales. The overall (global) increase in demand for common whelk correlates with the global fishery boom over the last decade. UK whelk populations are largely unknown and there have been anecdotal accounts of severely overexploited whelk stocks throughout the UK coastline. There is currently no formal stock assessment/s for whelks. In the absence of information there is concern for biomass. Whelk fishing takes place across the entire Southern IFCA District, most prominently in the Solent and west Dorset. Some fishers solely target whelks, others fish for whelks intermittently around crab and lobster potting. The only available data relating to fishing pressure is landings data. Landings data is not a good indicator of fishing mortality or biomass because it does not account for changes in fishing effort or catchability. The districts whelk landings increased from 1,279 to 2,192 tonnes between 2005-2019, with a high of 3,352 tonnes in 2011. From 2011, landings remained relatively stable for five years (~3,000 tonnes), in 2017 this declined by 900 tonnes, remaining ~2,000 tonnes for three years (2017-2019). The value of the fishery increased 63% from £498 per tonne in 2005 to £1,330 per tonne in 2019, valuing just over £2.9 million, an increase of 27% on the value of the fishery in 2016 despite a reduction in landings of 740 tonnes. With no assessment of sustainable fishing limit, and an absence of recent landings data for the district there is concern for fishing pressure in this area.  Whelk fisheries are often considered as boom-and-bust, where catches increase while demand is high until catch rates become less economically attractive.

There is a lack of appropriate management measures in place, to suitably protect the stock. Southern whelk fishery is data poor. The absence of sock assessments prevents the definition of Total Allowable Catch (TAC) limits and presents several challenges for whelk management. A Minimum Conservation Reference Size (MCRS) of 45mm (as set in retained EU regulation) is in place for common whelk fished within Southern IFCA but provides limited potential for protecting spawning stocks. Whelks generally reach sexual maturity >62.7mm in English inshore regions and documented greater than the current MCRS within Southern IFCA district (except the Solent), at 56.5mm in Portsmouth and between 63.5mm (Female) - 66mm (Male) in Poole. Consequently, it is highly likely whelks are being caught before they have had chance to reproduce. Whelk SOM (SOM - the size at which 50% of the population is sexually mature) is known to vary significantly in different areas around the UK, with temperature and depth being key factors. Whelk management measures, Southern IFCA district: Vessels above 12m are not permitted Commercial (MoU and voluntary code in Lyme Bay Reserve of 500 pots, 30 per string) Registered vessels voluntarily fit Vessel Monitoring Systems (VMS)  Southern IFCA are in the process of developing potting/whelk management measures. The Whelk Working Group (WWG) was formed in 2019, to facilitate the exchange of information between Fisheries and Conservation Authorities (IFCAS), 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. In the UK, 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). The Whelk in English Waters Fisheries Management Plan has a timetable for preparation and publication between 2021-2023. FMPs have the potential to be very important tools for managing UK fisheries. They will set out the policies to secure the long-term sustainability of our fish stocks for current and future generations and can include (data allowing): Targets for fishing pressure and biomass, with effective management to meet them; Timeframes for stock recovery; Use of technologies such as Remote Electronic Monitoring (REM) to support data collection, improve transparency and accountability; Consideration of wider environmental impacts of the fishery.

Common whelks are caught in pots or creels, these are baited traps designed to attract and trap mobile species. Pots or creels have minimal impact on the surrounding environment but may result in damage to rocky reef habitat.Common whelk, are a marine benthic species, found on muddy sand, gravel or sometimes rock from the low water to depths of greater than 1000m. Whelks are active predators feeding on worms or bivalve molluscs.UK fishers use plastic drums, set in depths of 10-30m. One end is partially removed and covered with netting and the rest of the pot perforated with 2-3 cm holes. The pot usually has sand at the bottom to weigh it down. A large number of pots may be attached to a single string which is marked by a buoy at each end. The pots are commonly baited with dogfish or shore crab and placed on the seabed to soak for 1-3 days before being hauled. A riddle with a minimum bar spacing of 25mm or greater is used to filter catch, minimising bycatch whilst retaining large whelks.Bycatch species can be caught during fishing or if pots are lost (ghost fishing). Although, non-target species can usually escape creels after days or weeks especially if the pots include escape gaps for smaller animals. Invertebrates are understood to have high survival rates when discarded from pots or creels. There is potential for entanglement of endangered, threatened or protected (ETP) species from the ropes attached to the pots. The main species at risk are minke and humpback whales, basking sharks and leatherback turtles.Habitat impacts from potting are low but can occur during deployment, soak time or hauling of the pot, impacting the benthic habitat and associated species through contact with the pot or end weight, or by scouring from ropes. While some damage does occur, it is unlikely to be significant unless potting intensity is high (defined as approximately 30 pots per 500 square metres). Most damage occurs where traps are set in rocky habitats that are home to slow growing anchored species including soft corals, sponges and sea mats.

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