D&S IFCA Hosting Meetings with Commercial Potting and Netting Permit Holders across District

Meeting dates now announced for Dartmouth, Salcombe, Brixham, Torquay, Teignmouth, Exmouth, Seaton and Lyme Regis

Following on from meetings in Plymouth and ports in the north of D&S IFCA’s District, D&S IFCA’s Environment Officers are now announcing the remaining dates for meetings with commercial Potting and Netting Permit holders, as follows:

  • Dartmouth 14th May 16:30 –19:00 Main Hall, Stokenham Parish Hall, Carehouse Cross, Stokenham, Kingsbridge TQ7 2SJ
  • Salcombe 16th May 16:00 – 18:30 Dining Room, Salcombe Yacht Club, Cliff House, Cliff Road, Salcombe TQ8 8JQ
  • Brixham 20th May 16:00 – 18:30 Conference Room, Brixham Laboratories, Freshwater Quarry, Brixham TQ5 8BA
  • Torquay 22nd May 16:30 – 18:30 Billiard Room, Royal Torbay Yacht Club, 12 Beacon Terrace, Torquay TQ1 2BH
  • Exmouth 23rd May 17:00 – 19:00 Conference Room 1, Exmouth Community College, Gipsy Lane, Exmouth EX8 3AF
  • Teignmouth 28th May 15:00 – 17:00 Meeting Room, ABP Teignmouth, Old Quay Street, Teignmouth TQ14 8ES
  • Seaton 10th June 16:30 – 19:00 Pitchside Bar, Seaton Town Football Club, 21 Colyford Road, Seaton, England. EX12 2DF
  • Lyme Regis 11th June 16:00 – 19:00 Fishing College, Southern Fish Industry Training Academy Ltd, The Cobb, Lyme Regis, Dorset DT7 3JJ

There are two main topics that Officers hope to discuss, to help D&S IFCA better understand the activities and the concerns of commercial Potting and Netting Permit Holders:

  1. Concerns about management of crab and lobster.

Building on the momentum from the development and publication of the Crab and Lobster Fisheries Management Plan and its proposals for early management interventions, Officers would like to hear more about local concerns for these fisheries, and opinions on their management: including for example effort controls, access arrangements, and the issues surrounding soft-shelled (“white”) crab as bait in whelk fisheries.

2. Importance of fishing grounds to local fishermen.

D&S IFCA regularly responds to consultations on the impacts of marine developments, aiming to highlight impacts of these development on fishing activities and fish. By identifying important fishing areas, D&S IFCA can engage with national decision-making bodies to ensure that the existing fishing uses of the sea are properly accounted for, and that the possible impacts of co-location and displacement of fishing activities by marine developments are properly considered/mitigated/avoided. Although the increasing use of IVMS devices will help with this over time, it won’t yet provide a full picture of potting and netting fishing activity and so it is important that the views of permit holders are heard now.

Permit holders will receive direct communications about meetings taking place near them. However, if you would like more information then please get in touch with the Environment Team using the details below.

Sarah Clark (Deputy Chief Officer)

07515 050887 | s.clark@devonandsevernifca.gov.uk

James Stewart (Senior Environment Officer)

07720 683624 | J.Stewart@devonandsevernifca.gov.uk

Lauren Parkhouse (Environment Officer)                 

07740 175480 | L.Parkhouse@devonandsevernifca.gov.uk

Nadine Hanlon (Environment Officer/ Marine Development Officer)           

07928 620630 | N.Hanlon@devonandsevernifca.gov.uk