Common whelk

There is concern for the stock and fishing pressure is likely to be above sustainable levels, however, recently landing limits have been implemented potentially improving the outlook for the stock.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.Welsh whelk stocks have never been formally assessed, resulting in a level of concern for and uncertainty of the current status of Welsh stocks. The Welsh Government recently commissioned a stock report to guide future stock assessments and management. The report highlights the need for consistent stock assessments using a combination of stock indicators representing reproductive capacity and the size of stock, that will be available in the fishery in future years from catch sampling. In the longer term, surveys and catch per unit effort (CPUE) data will be used to assess stock levels. No stock assessment has been undertaken for 2022. The report has provided annual catch limit (ACL) recommendations of 5,298 tonnes from 2022, based on average landings from 2015-2019. Additionally, a monthly landing cap (MLC) is set at 50 tonnes per permitted vessel and this can be reduced to ensure the ACL is not exceeded. Catches have varied consistently by month of year in the Welsh fishery (2015-2019) with high landings from March to July and lower landings for the remainder of the year. Therefore, it is expected that landings and potentially the MLC will decline over the annual management cycle.The Welsh whelk fishery saw a steep rise in landings 2015-2017 and value per tonne (from £500 to £1,200 tonne, 2005 to 2018). In 2016, Welsh whelk landings amounted to 6,500 tonnes, which fell steeply in 2018 and 2019. At present, reduced landings in 2018 and 2019 cannot be attributed to a specific cause but may have been influenced by a combination of factors including: a reduction in the number of vessels fishing for whelks; an increased Minimum Landing Size (July 2019); adverse weather conditions; or may be indicative of unhealthy populations. Consequently, there is concern for fishing pressure in this area.Whelks are a particularly vulnerable species and once overfished, they have a slow path to population recovery.Whelk fisheries are often considered as boom-and-bust, where catches increase while demand is high until catch rates become less economically attractive.

There are management measures in place for this fishery, with additional stock assessment recording and measures implemented in 2022. The 2022 approach is a significant improvement for Welsh whelk fisheries management although it is too early to assess the effectiveness of the measures.The Welsh whelk fishery is data poor. The absence of sock assessments, has to date, prevented the definition of Total Allowable Catch (TAC) limits and presents several challenges for whelk management.A Minimum Conservation Reference Size (MCRS) of 65mm (under The Whelk Fishing (Wales) Order 2019) is in place for common whelk fished within the Welsh zone (which includes but is not limited to the territorial sea out to 12nm). This provides limited potential for protecting spawning stocks, as whelks reach sexual maturity between 67mm and 70.2mm in inshore areas of Fishguard and Saundersfoot, 59.9mm in Swansea Bay, and in the cooler waters of North Wales 80.6-90.9mm. Consequently, it is highly likely whelks are being caught before they have had chance to reproduce. Whelk size at maturity (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. Scientific evidence indicates many Welsh whelks, especially from cooler regions, do not reach sexual maturity until after they exceed the current MCRS.The 2022 catch limit report highlights the need to use further maturity data to improve understanding of the stock. Small-scale stock management has already been adopted by England, in the development of Inshore Fisheries Conservation Authorities (IFCA).Whelk management measures introduced 2022, Wales:Annual permits are required for the collection of whelks.Fishers must submit monthly catch returns, detailing fishing area, weight of catch, and types of fishing gear usedMonthly Catch Limit (MCL): 50 tonnes per vessel (set to allow for high catches in spring/summer in line with historic catch patterns).Annual Catch Limit (ACL): 5,298 tonnes (set to average annual landings 2015-19).The ACL should not be exceeded and the MCL can be adjusted to avoid this.Size based indicators will be used in 2023-2024 to reduce catch limits if poor stock status is indicated. Catch limits will not be increased until a stock review is undertaken in 2024.Catch, pot numbers and soak time data from fishers alongside annual density surveys will be used to review stock status and the ACL calculation methodology. It is anticipated that the increased data will allow a less precautionary approach to be used for fisheries management.Initially, the 2022 management measures only apply to UK vessels. Once the post-Brexit regulatory and legislative framework has been determined, the Welsh Government may consider applying these measures to non-UK vessels.Until these measures have been in place for several years, the Welsh whelk fishery remains data-poor. A closed season during spawning has not been implemented to date, despite suggestions and recommendations in previous consultations.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. There are generally low impacts on the surrounding environment but can occasionally result the entanglement of whales or ETP Species.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, but are most commonly caught in subtidal depths ranging between 40 to 60m. 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 baited and placed on the seabed to soak for 1-3 days before being hauled. Once hauled, most fishers in North and South Wales grade whelks with a riddle that allows the retention of only larger whelks. This minimises bycatch of undersized whelks and non-target species by filtering catch, whilst retaining larger 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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