Queen scallop fishing in ICES sub areas 6a and 7a in UK waters will be closed from April 1 to June 30m 2026 to protect spawning stocks.
The Marine Management Organisation (MMO), working with the other UK fisheries administrations, has reached a decision to enact a licence variation for the temporary closure.
The three-month closure will allow the scallops to spawn before they are caught as well as increase protection for juvenile scallops to grow.
The MMO said the absence of scallop dredging will also reduce removal of animals and plants at the bottom of the ocean, which scallop larvae need to settle on to begin their development and growth.
Scientific evidence indicates queen scallops typically spawn in the spring (March to May), although secondary spawning can occur periodically throughout the summer and in autumn.
The spring spawning is the most significant for the settlement of juveniles, although in some years the later spawning may also be important.
