A slight chance of influencing the UK government on Scallop dredging - see:

http://edmi.parliament.uk/EDMi/EDMDetails....amp;SESSION=905

Please lobby your MP to support this (5 MPs will do so so far)

Hello Paul,

Before sending my missive to David Davies, MP for Monmouth I thought I'd see what the position of the MCS was on the matter and found this: http://www.mcsuk.org/what_we_do/Wildlife%2...llop%20dredging.

It would appear as though there is already regulation in place which pertains to Welsh marine protected areas.

There is. In Wales scallop dredging is banned within 1 mile of the coast and in all SACs except for part of one of these (Cardigan Bay SAC), and two other small areas. However if you follow discussions in publications such as Fishing News you will see that there is always pressure to challenge such bans and this is likely to increase as fuel costs rise and boats want to operate closer to their home ports. The motion is aimed at the whole of the UK and therefore needs support from MPs (not AMs) and whilst the Welsh record on creating bans is better than the English and Scottish, this does not mean that it is problem free (especially in terms of enforcement) nor that Welsh MPs should not be involved - in fact they should be forward thinking and promote the 'better practices' already adopted in Wales, and more.

They've been dragging for scallops here in the Bay of Fundy for more than fifty years. In that time the scallop industry has destroyed about 40% of the benthic environment in the bay. Vast areas that were dragged even thirty years ago look like deserts. Sponges, kelp, mussel beds, and everything else is gone from areas of high fishing effort. I hope this destructive practice isn't allowed to occur unregulated the way it is here in Nova Scotia. That the UK is considering is such a backward step in protect the oceans. I suspect that your new conservative government over there is like our conservative government- anti-environment and pro industry/Big business. Best of luck with your battle!

Start picking Your scallops like Norway does...
No bycatch and small scallops are left behind.

Click to view attachment

Cheers
Karel

If only it was that simple! In Scotland scallop diving is viable but is under substantial regulation due to health & safety. In many areas though the density of scallops is such that diving for them would not be economic - but dredging can be. Diving for scallops has to be the most effective method of ensuring a nothing else is taken or damaged.