[Richard Mason]

Originally Posted by drysuit repair dave

I found this on the Cornwall Sea Fisheries Committee website;

Cornwall County Council - Sea Fisheries News

For anyone who cant be bothered to access the link, scallop dredging and bottom trawling are to be banned in Fal and Helford Special Area of Conservation (HOORAY!).
This is to protect the maerl beds and other benthic habitats, which are supposed to be protected under European Habitats Directive legislation. It is only the threat of legal action from Europe that has caused this to finally happen, it is nothing to do with preserving scallop stocks (there are no commercial quotas for scallops, boats are only restricted by how many they can catch)

I am rather concerned about the second part of the article, which proposes banning the take of scallops by ALL methods in the area. The Fal and Helford SAC is the area inshore of a line from Zone Point to Manacles Point (roughly the 30m depth contour) This would close off at least 90% of the area in Falmouth Bay where scallops are to be found in reasonable depths for divers to take a few for the pot (and a big percentage of the total area in Cornwall)
The benefits to the scallop population of a protected area are undeniable (I am a great believer in Marine Protected Areas) but this proposal seems to be aimed purely at placating the scallop dredging lobby, with no thought for other users of the resource.
If you feel strongly about this issue the email for Cornwall Sea fisheries Committee is; Enquiries.seafisheries@cornwall.gov.uk

cheers
dave
drysuitrepair.co.uk

I'd go with the flow - what are you more worried about? Protecting the habitat from being smashed to pieces by dredgers or not being able to take scallops yourself. Seems like a small sacrifice for a good overall outcome to me.