Some but not all appropriate relevant management measures and in place, enforced but are only partially effective.This stock is shared between the UK and Ireland, with the UK landing most catches. There is no precautionary or shared management plan in place for Northern Irish Sea, although there are aspirations to develop one.The primary concern with this fishery is the lack of a precautionary management plan.TACs are split between the UK and Ireland. Since 2013, TACs and catches have been in line with scientific advice up until 2024 when the TAC (7279 tonnes) was set above advice. However, this may have been due to the reissuing of the 2024 advice. Catches as estimated by ICES have been below or in line with the agreed annual TAC and advice since 2016. In 2025, the agreed TAC (5,223 tonnes) is was also above advice but that was also due to the reissuing of advice.Beyond TACs, harvesting is further regulated by an EU Minimum Landing Size (MLS) of 20 cm, exceeding the size at maturity (17 cm). Discards of unwanted (over quota or undersize) herring are negligible.The Pelagic Advisory Council (PleAC) has an aspiration to develop a long-term management strategy for this stock. It is known that juvenile Celtic Sea herring mix with the Irish Sea stock. As a result, this stock should be considered as part of a metapopulation. The consequence of this needs to be further evaluated for management and advice. Scientific advice is to avoid negative impacts on the spawning habitat of herring, unless the effects of these activities have been assessed and shown not to be detrimental to the stock. There has been an increase in marine anthropogenic activity, especially around marine renewables. The construction and development of wind farms, for example, results in disturbance to the seabed, as does aggregate extraction. Gravel is an essential habitat for spawning herring.Herring fishing in the Irish Sea faced several restrictions. Year-round closures applied along Ireland's east coast and within 12 nautical miles of Britain's west coast. The Mourne herring gillnet fishery had an exception to fish within the Irish closed box. The Douglas Bank spawning ground east of the Isle of Man was closed from 21 September to 15 November, and Irish boats were prohibited from fishing east of the Isle of Man. Additionally, national licensing still limits fishing in specific areas and seasons.Part of this stock, included in a separate Good Fish Guide rating, is independently certified to Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) standards.Fishing restrictions in the Irish Sea include year-round closures along Ireland's east coast and within 12 nautical miles of Britain’s west coast. The Mourne herring gillnet fishery is an exception, operating within the Irish closed box. The Douglas Bank spawning ground east of the Isle of Man is closed from 21 September to 15 November, with Irish boats prohibited from fishing in this area. National licensing also imposes additional seasonal and area restrictions.The EU and UK both have fishery management measures, which can include catch limits, population targets, and gear restrictions. However, compliance in the EU and UK has been inconsistent, with ongoing challenges in implementing some regulations. The goal of reaching Maximum Sustainable Yield (MSY) by 2020 was missed, with less than half of UK TACs in 2024 following ICES advice. In 2024, the EU and UK reaffirmed their commitment to sustainable fisheries by aligning management with scientific advice to gradually approach MSY. However, no new target date has been set for achieving MSY across all fisheries. The Landing Obligation (LO), an EU law retained by the UK post-Brexit, requires all quota fish to be landed, even if unwanted (over-quota or below minimum size). It aims to encourage more selective fishing methods, reduce bycatch, and improve catch reporting. However, compliance is poor, and accurate discard levels are hard to quantify with current monitoring programmes. The UK is in the process of replacing the LO with country-specific Catching Policies.The Marine Conservation Society views Remote Electronic Monitoring (REM) with cameras, as one of the most cost-effective tools for providing reliable fisheries data and aiding informed management decisions. Fully monitored fisheries enhance collaboration, data accuracy, stock recovery, and reduce impacts on marine wildlife and habitats. However, the full potential of REM may only be achieved when it tracks fishing location and documents catch and bycatch, particularly where vulnerable species and habitats are at risk. As of January 2024, the EU is introducing a Remote Electronic Monitoring (REM) mandate for EU vessels, including CCTV cameras on vessels 18m or more that pose a potential risk of non-compliance, within the next 4 years. Across the UK, different approaches to REM are being taken and legislation is expected to be in place across all 4 countries within the next few years.The Fisheries Act (2020) requires the development of Fisheries Management Plans (FMPs) (replacing EU Multi-Annual Plans) in the UK. 43 FMPs have been proposed and are at various stages of development and implementation, these should all be published by the end of 2028. FMPs have the potential to be very important tools for managing UK fisheries, although data limitations may delay them for some stocks. It is also essential the UK governments define and adopt a standardised approach or model across the four nations to a universally defined FMP design, to ensure the consistence, quality and coherence of all the proposal FMPs.The Marine Conservation Society is keen to see publicly available Fishery Management Plans for all commercially exploited stocks, especially where stocks are depleted, that include:An overview of the fishery including current stock status, spatial coverage, current fishing methods and impactsTargets for fishing pressure and biomass, and additional management when those targets are not being met, based on the best scientific evidenceTimeframes for stock recoveryImproved data collection, transparency, and accountability, supported by technologies such as Remote Electronic Monitoring (REM)Consideration of wider environmental impacts of the fishery, including habitat impacts and minimising bycatchStakeholder engagementAn Irish Sea Pelagic FMP has been proposed, coordinated DAERA that incorporates this stock. At the time of writing, it is too soon to know whether proposed management measures will be effective in managing the stock. For more information about this FMP and expected progress and timelines, see [https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/fisheries-management-plans#published-fmps]
