A commercial fishery for razor clams using electric current gear in Scottish waters
Overview
Razor clams are a shellfish species residing in sandy habitats in shallow inshore water around Scotland. They have been fished through a variety of methods in recent times, from artisanal hand-gathering on the shore to dredging, and most recently in a scientific trial using electric current. In Scotland, two species are harvested: Ensis magnus and Ensis siliqua.
The scientific trial on fishing for razor clams using electric current has been underway since 2018. The Scottish Government is now seeking your views on whether a commercial fishery for razor clams should be established, based on the findings and outcomes of the scientific trial.
Read the consultation paper. The consultation paper contains full background information for this consultation. You may find it useful to read or refer to while responding.
Read the Strategic Environmental Assessment report. This covers the Scottish Government's assessment of the environmental impacts of different consultation outcomes.
Read the partial Business and Regulatory Impact Assessment. This covers the Scottish Government's assessment of the costs and benefits to businesses and regulators of different consultation outcomes.
Consultation questions preview
- Should the Scottish Government establish a commercial fishery using electric current for razor clams? Please provide reasoning for your answer.
- Do you agree with the proposal to allow commercial fishing for razor clams beyond the boundaries of trial areas? Please provide reasoning for your answer.
- Do you agree that the technical measures outlined are appropriate for the proposed fishery? Please provide reasoning for your answer.
- Are there any other technical measures that should be considered for introduction? Please provide reasoning for your answer.
- Should a new trial be established? Please provide reasoning for your answer.
- Should a commercial fishery be established that uses conventional gear instead of electric current? Please provide reasoning for your answer.
- Is there any other alternative status for fishing for razor clams that has not been considered in this consultation?
- Do you have any other comments to make in relation to matters raised by this consultation?
- Should we seek to expand the scope of REM in razor clam fishing? Please provide reasoning for your answer.
Useful information about responding to this consultation
As you complete your response, each page will provide the option to 'Save and come back later' at the bottom. This means you can save your progress and return to the consultation at any time before it closes. If you don't use this feature and leave the consultation midway through, your response will be lost.
Once you have submitted your response, you can enter your email address to get a pdf copy of your answers sent to you.
On the 'About You' page at the end of this consultation, organisations will have the opportunity to tell us more about their work and/or how their response was informed.
After the consultation has closed there will be a few months delay before any responses are published. This is because we must check any responses to be published abide by our Terms of Use.
All relevant submitted responses will be analysed. This may be carried out by third party organisations who Scottish Government, its executive agencies or non-ministerial offices, contract to do this work. Such data sharing will be governed by appropriate contractual arrangements to keep your data secure.
An analysis report will usually be published some months after the consultation has closed. This report will summarise the findings based on all responses submitted. It will be published on the Scottish Government website and you may be notified about it if you choose to share your email address with us.
You can also join our consultation mailing list where we regularly list newly published analysis reports (as well as new consultations).
Why your views matter
We are now seeking views on the establishment of a limited commercial fishery. We are also seeking views on the possibility of a more focused trial in areas where further evidence is needed to inform decisions about future commercial fishing opportunities.
The consultation document summarises the findings of the scientific trial to date. This is organised according to the goals of the trial.
We present options for the establishment of a commercial fishery, seeking your views on them. We are interested in your views on moving from a scientific trial to a limited commercial fishery, and what controls should be put in place to ensure this remains a low environmental impact activity. We are particularly interested in how a commercial fishery for razor clams might contribute to island communities.
We also include a call for evidence for other aspects of managing a razor clam fishery that we would look to introduce in the future, if Ministers were to decide following consideration of the responses to the consultation that a commercial fishery should be established.
We believe that the establishment of a commercial fishery is an appropriate next step for razor clam fishing in Scotland. The progress report on the biological and ecological goals of the trial indicates that it is possible to fish for razor clams at a level that ensures the sustainability of the activity. The stock assessments contained in that report have been updated and expanded upon, and we share these results here. If, following consideration of views in this consultation, Ministers decide to proceed with establishing a commercial fishery, this would be informed by findings to date and our broader approach to management of non-quota stocks in the inshore zone (seas around Scotland within 12 nautical miles of the coast).
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