Five proposed joint UK Fisheries Management Plans (FMPs) for Pelagic Stocks

Overview

We are seeking your views on five proposed Fisheries Management Plans (FMPs) for pelagic fish stocks.

FMPs are published under the Fisheries Act 2020 and set out how fisheries will be managed to ensure stocks are fished sustainably now and in the future.

The UK fisheries authorities (Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs, Scottish Government, Welsh Government and the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs in Northern Ireland) will prepare and publish 43 Fisheries Management Plans (FMPs) by 2028. The Scottish Government is the coordinating authority for 21 FMPs with a delivery date of end of 2026. Of the 21 FMPs, 11 are for demersal fish stocks, two are for Nephrops stocks and a further eight are for pelagic fish stocks.

This consultation covers five of the eight pelagic FMPs:

  • North Sea herring
  • West Coast of Scotland and Clyde herring
  • Atlanto-Scandian herring
  • Northern Shelf mackerel
  • Northern Shelf blue whiting

The remaining three pelagic FMPs (North Sea greater silver smelt, West of Scotland greater silver smelt and North Sea horse mackerel) will be consulted on later in 2026.

The plans have been developed jointly by UK fisheries authorities, with input from industry, scientists, NGOs and Statutory Nature Conservation Bodies.

We are also seeking views on:

  • the Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA), which considers environmental impacts
  • the Business and Regulatory Impact Assessment (BRIA), which considers economic impacts

Supporting documents are available in the ‘Related’ section below the 'Begin consultation' button.

The consultation will close at 23:59 on 14 October 2026.

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.

Ynglŷn â’r ymgynghoriad hwn

Rydym yn ceisio eich safbwyntiau ar bum Cynllun Rheoli Pysgodfeydd (FMP) arfaethedig ar gyfer stociau pysgod pelagig.

Mae FMPau yn cael eu cyhoeddi o dan Ddeddf Pysgodfeydd 2020 ac maen nhw’n amlinellu sut y bydd pysgodfeydd yn cael eu rheoli i sicrhau bod stociau’n cael eu pysgota’n gynaliadwy yn awr ac yn y dyfodol.

Bydd awdurdodau pysgodfeydd y Deyrnas Unedig (Adran yr Amgylchedd, Bwyd a Materion Gwledig, Llywodraeth yr Alban, Llywodraeth Cymru a’r Adran Amaethyddiaeth, yr Amgylchedd a Materion Gwledig yng Ngogledd Iwerddon) yn paratoi a chyhoeddi 43 Cynllun Rheoli Pysgodfeydd (FMP) erbyn 2028. Llywodraeth yr Alban yw’r awdurdod cydlynu ar gyfer 21 FMP, a’r dyddiad cyflawni yw diwedd 2026. Mae 11 o’r 21 FMP ar gyfer stociau pysgod gwely’r môr, mae dau ar gyfer stociau cimwch Norwy ac mae wyth arall ar gyfer stociau pysgod pelagig.

Mae’r ymgynghoriad hwn yn ymwneud â phump o’r wyth FMP pelagig:

  • FMP Pennog Môr y Gogledd
  • FMP Pennog Arfordir Gorllewin yr Alban ac Afon Clyde
  • FMP Pennog Iwerydd-Sgandinafia
  • FMP Mecryll Ysgafell y Gogledd
  • FMP Swtanod Glas Ysgafell y Gogledd

Bydd y tri FMP pelagig sy’n weddill (pysgod arian mawr Môr y Gogledd, pysgod arian mawr Gorllewin yr Alban a marchfecryll Môr y Gogledd) yn destun ymgynghoriad yn ddiweddarach yn 2026.

Mae’r cynlluniau wedi cael eu datblygu ar y cyd gan awdurdodau pysgodfeydd y Deyrnas Unedig, gyda chyfraniad gan y diwydiant, gwyddonwyr, cyrff anllywodraethol a Chyrff Cadwraeth Natur Statudol.

Rydym hefyd yn ceisio safbwyntiau ar y canlynol:

  • yr Asesiad Amgylcheddol Strategol (SEA), sy’n ystyried effeithiau amgylcheddol
  • yr Asesiad Effaith Busnes a Rheoleiddiol (BRIA), sy’n ystyried effeithiau economaidd

Mae dogfennau ategol ar gael yn yr adran ‘Cysylltiedig’.

Bydd yr ymgynghoriad yn cau am 23:59 ar 14 Hydref 2026.

Darllenwch y papur ymgynghori. Mae’r papur ymgynghori’n cynnwys gwybodaeth gefndir lawn ar gyfer yr ymgynghoriad hwn. Fe allai fod yn ddefnyddiol i chi ei darllen neu gyfeirio ati wrth ymateb.

Consultation questions preview

The consultation questions are included here for your reference. Please click 'Begin consultation' at the bottom of this page to proceed.

Question 1. For the North Sea herring FMP, do you agree with the proposed policies?

Question 2. What are your views on the proposed actions for each policy in the North Sea herring FMP?

Question 3. For the West Coast of Scotland (and Clyde) herring FMP, do you agree with the proposed policies?

Question 4. What are your views on the proposed actions for each policy in the West Coast of Scotland (and Clyde) herring FMP?

Question 5. For the Atlanto-Scandian herring (ASH) FMP, do you agree with the proposed policies?

Question 6. What are your views on the proposed actions for each policy in the ASH FMP?

Question 7. For the Northern Shelf mackerel FMP, do you agree with the proposed policies?

Question 8. What are your views on the proposed actions for each policy in the Northern Shelf mackerel FMP?

Question 9. For the Northern Shelf blue whiting FMP, do you agree with the proposed policies?

Question 10. What are your views on the proposed actions for each policy in the Northern Shelf blue whiting FMP?

Question 11. Do you have any comments on the specific sections in any of the proposed pelagic FMPs? For example, on the:

  • Stock assessment and MSY section which provides information on available stock assessments, MSY and stock biology for the individual stocks covered by the five pelagic FMPs.
  • Fisheries management section which outlines proposals to maintain the sustainable management of pelagic fisheries in UK waters for the long-term. It also covers the current technical measures, as well as monitoring, control and enforcement.
  • Environmental considerations section which covers legal duties and requirements relating to the protection of the natural environment arising from legislation. It provides details of the conservation advice developed by the SNCBs which describes the risks arising from pelagic fisheries contained within the five pelagic FMPs.
  • Implementation and monitoring section which describes the process for implementation and states that the FMPs will be reviewed and improved over time as more evidence becomes available. The delivery of the policies and actions in the pelagic FMPs will be monitored and assessed against a set of indicators to ensure the overarching outcomes and actions are effective in achieving the FMP policies and the requirements of the Act.

Question 12. Do you have any other additional comments on the five proposed pelagic FMPs?

Question 13. Do you have any comments on the partial Business Regulatory Impact Assessment (BRIA)?

Question 14. Do you have any comments on the assessment of the environmental effects of the five pelagic FMPs which are subject to this consultation, as set out in the environmental report?

Question 15. Do you have any comments on any potential islands impacts arising from the draft FMPs?

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

This consultation is an opportunity for you to help shape and influence the future of pelagic fisheries management policy in the UK and builds upon previous engagement with a wide range of stakeholders across the UK.

Give us your views

Begin consultation

Closes 14 Oct 2026

Opened 22 Jul 2026

Contact

Fisheries Management Team

fmps@gov.scot

Interests

  • Main hub
  • Marine and Fisheries