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Latest News
Meeting with Welsh Assembly Government (WAG) and Countryside Council for Wales (CCW).
On 22nd March representatives from all of the campaigning organisations, including SOS, met with representatives from WAG and CCW to discuss the scallop fishery in Wales. We conveyed we were pleased issues concerning the fishery were at last being addressed seriously. We pointed out we were pleased with the introduction of spatial restrictions, with reductions in maximum boat engine capacity and allowed number of dredges.
However, we also pointed out that we were very concerned that a large area within the Cardigan Bay SAC was still open to scalloping. A WAG representative at the meeting stated that up to 17 boats had been operating there, and 35 in the Bay more generally since March 1st. A lot of harm is still being caused. Further, why is it that no Appropriate Assessment has yet been undertaken? The WAG response was that they had decided there was ‘unlikely to be a significant effect’ in the open area in the SAC. But on what basis? We are challenging this decision and asking that full details are provided of its basis. So far this has not been provided.
We also asked why it was that a number of recommendations of CCW to WAG concerning the need for additional spatial restrictions outside the SACs had not been implemented. So far no explanation has been given, but we are hopeful of finding out why.
Complaint to the EU Commission
The campaigning groups (including Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society, Cardigan Bay Marine Wildlife Centre, Friends of Cardigan Bay, The Pembrokeshire Bird Group and SOS) are pressing the EU Commission to determine if WAG is in breach of EU law by failing to undertake an Appropriate Assessment for the Cardigan Bay SAC. We understand there has recently been a meeting between the Commission and relevant UK authorities including WAG in London where the authorities presented their position. The Commission continues to investigate …..
New regulations in place
From 1st March 2010 new regulations concerning scallop dredging in Cardigan Bay have been put in place by the Welsh Assembly Government (WAG). These require :
- that the maximum engine output capacity of boats is limited to 300 h.p. (221 kw)
- that a maximum number of dredges can be used out to various distances from the shore
- that the season (from 2011) will be reduced by one month to run from November 1st to April 30th each year
- that there will be spatial restrictions as to where boats can go. These will include the Special Areas of Conservation around the coast of Wales – with the exception of a sizeable part of the Cardigan Bay SAC, plus a one nautical mile limit around the whole Welsh coast.
Mark Williams, M.P., speaks out on scallop dredging in Parliament
On 23rd June local Ceredigion M.P. Mark Williams made an impassioned speech concerning the Marine Bill and its importance for Cardigan Bay. He praised the work of local organisations, including SOS, in fighting to protect the Bay. He highlighted threats from potential oil and gas development, and from industrial scale scallop dredging. Lamenting the lack of protection SAC status had provided, Mr Williams emphasised that economic issues should not be allowed to override key environmental protections for the marine environment. Read Mark Williams speech here.
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Stop Press - Scallop dredging suspended in the Bay
The Minister for Rural Affairs, Elin Jones, has announced that the closed season for scallop dredging is to be extended from November to February 28th in the coming season. This is to allow time for development of a new scallop fisheries order to be introduced on March 1st - details of which are yet to be announced.The Welsh Assembly Government is currently considering the results of a consultation on management of the fishery which closed on the 25th September
Aberystwyth Petition-signing
On 3rd August SOS held another successful day of collecting signatures for the petition to government to manage scallop fishing in Cardigan Bay in an environmentally sustainable way. About 500 signatures were collected. During the event SOS presented the petition to date - 2,500 signatures - to Ceredigion M.P. Mark Williams to forward to the U.K. government.
Aberaeron event a great success!
Following events in New Quay and Llangranog in early summer, SOS were out in force in Aberaeron on Saturday, 4th July collecting signatures for our petition against harmful scallop dredging in Cardigan Bay. Our information stall and placards attracted a great deal of attention. Many passers by were amazed to hear how much dredging has been going on in the Bay and how much harm it can cause. Others had learned about scallop dredging and were glad SOS were doing something about it. Both locals and tourists were quick to offer their support and signatures. Almost 600 signatures were collected in just four hours!
WAG respond …..
Following a joint submission to the EU Commission of a formal complaint concerning scallop dredging, on 24th June the Welsh Assembly Government (WAG) Head of Fisheries Policy, Mr Stuart Evans, wrote to invite complainants, including SOS, to meet ‘to discuss your concerns and outline the future management of the Cardigan Bay SAC and the proposed changes to management of the scallop fishery.’ The letter from WAG stated that there was no evidence of harm to dolphins, that scallop dredging had been occurring in Cardigan Bay for over 40 years, and referred to current studies mapping the seabed. Reference was also made to a consultation exercise on scallop fishing due to start in November (this year).
European Commission says, ‘You’ve got a case.’
Following submission of a formal complaint, on 8th May the European Commission have confirmed that the Welsh Assembly Government have a case to answer. They stated that ‘it would appear unclear to what extent the effect of scallop dredging within the Cardigan Bay SAC has been fully assessed’ and go on to say that they will be contacting the ‘relevant authorities’ for further information. The complaint was submitted jointly by Friends of Cardigan Bay, the Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society, SOS and the Cardigan Bay Marine Wildlife Centre.
Scallop dredging in the news
From the Cambrian News to the Times, the press have been raising questions about scallop dredging. The Cambrian News hit the heights on 8th April with their unforgettable front page headline, ‘Carpet-Bagger Dredger Anger!’. The full page article reported on the SOS demonstration held in New Quay. In another article, columnist Patrick O’Brien, explained how intrusion of dredging into conservation areas breached European legislation. The Western Mail on 11th May published an article headed ‘Scallop wars in Cardigan Bay’. On June 1st in the Guardian, George Monbiot wrote a fierce piece on the urgent need for marine protection, and described the lack of action on scallop dredging in Cardigan Bay by the local fisheries committee as ‘bureacratic cowardice’. The Times on 21st June, reported an article headed, ‘British sea bed trawled into a wasteland’, highlighting the immense damage caused by trawling-type methods around the British Isles.
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