Wrasse in the News! ‘Ministers threatened with legal action over fishing of ‘vital’ species’
21st April, 2025
The Sustainable Inshore Fisheries Trust (SIFT) has called on the Scottish Government to stop the fishing of wrasse in marine protected areas. SIFT has written to Rural Affairs Secretary Mairi Gougeon urging her to ensure the law is being followed.
SIFT said the Scottish Government has allowed the fishery to operate without effective catch limits, without stock assessments and with a closed period which does not align with the wrasse spawning season.
A 2020 academic paper, commissioned by NatureScot, found the “impacts to these species are not consistent with the duty to protect these features”.
SIFT said that despite this, the fishery was allowed to continue in protected areas.
Environmental Standards Scotland was asked to investigate this situation, and ministers conceded that they should have conducted a formal assessment of the impact of this fishery on notionally protected areas.
The fishery is currently being reviewed by NatureScot and Scottish Government ahead of the May 1 date on which the fishery has been opened in previous years, according to SIFT.
Charles Millar, Executive Director of the group, said: “Five years ago NatureScot commissioned research which showed that the wrasse fishery should not be permitted within protected marine habitats.
“This advice was ignored, and in the meantime, millions of these ecologically important fish have been removed to serve the aquaculture sector.
“Local eradication of wrasse populations is not just an ecological concern: the habitats they protect are also vital nursery grounds for our commercial fisheries.
Read the full article here.
