Division 6.1

Fishing industry: The main vessels affected are scallop dredgers, beam trawlers and local trawlers which primarily include vessels landing into Plymouth and Looe and occasionally into ports such as Brixham and Teignmouth. French and Belgian vessels have access rights to fish for demersal species however; the majority of this catch is not landed in the UK. French bottom trawlers fish in the Hatt Rock proposed prohibited area. The Belgian fishing industry have limited fishing activity within this area. Dialogue with stakeholders during the pre-consultation for this proposed management measure indicated that bottom towed fishing activity mainly takes place within the corridors between the bedrock reef features and the proposed buffer zones. It is not expected that the intervention will have an impact on non fisheries sectors.