Herring in the Firth of Clyde: recommending the total allowable catch for 2026

On consideration of the Marine Directorate scientist’s report we note that:

• The herring fishery in the Clyde has declined from its peak in the 1960s, with annual catches typically less than 500 tonnes over the last 20 years. This includes 180 tonnes caught in 2021 and 323 tonnes in 2025, apart from these years there have been no other commercial catches recorded in the Clyde since 2014.
• The 2025 Q4 survey suggested an apparent decrease in biomass, although the long-term trend in the Q4 survey remains upwards. Furthermore, the presence of an adult cohort in Q4 does give rise to some optimism that Clyde herring stocks could increase in subsequent years, and the Q1 survey in 2026 showed a considerable increase to around the historical mean.
• There is no evidence to indicate that stocks have significantly decreased since 2024, although Q4 2025 data did indicate a year-on-year decrease in stock biomass, consistent with other surveys west of the UK, although this was tempered by an increase during Q1 in 2026. Therefore, there is insufficient scientific evidence to suggest that an increase above the 2025 TAC of 583 tonnes would be appropriate. Similarly, the data does not suggest that the TAC should be reduced below the current level.
• Due to the lack of available scientific acoustic survey data and/or catches for Clyde herring and given the relatively poor state of several herring stocks to the west of the British Isles, consideration should be given to continuing current control measures in place for Clyde herring. In addition, awareness should continue to be raised among fishers to ensure compliance with these measures.

Our goal is to be responsible fisheries managers, but also responsive to the evidence we have available, as well as that which may come in future.

The evidence currently available for the stock, with the implementation of the control measures and data collection requirements outlined in section 5 of the consultation document, indicates that there is no strong case for setting the TAC above or below the current level.

In light of this evidence, we propose that the TAC for 2026 should be set at 583 tonnes, a roll over from 2025. Alongside continuing with control measures and data collection requirements for the stock.