A bye-law has been introduced by the Isle of Man government to protect local scallop stocks around the Island. The move has enraged Scottish fishermen and their lobby group representatives, as it excludes larger vessels and therefore a significant proportion of the Scottish dredging fleet, which raked in catches worth around £750,000 in 2009. However, the Manx minister with responsibility for fisheries John Shimmin says the measure was necessary to ensure the sustainability of the island’s fishing industry.

All vessels over 300 Horsepower that have not fished 50 days or more around the Isle of Man in the past 18 months are now barred from its territorial waters, thus excluding roughly 20 Scottish vessels. While the issue looks set to rumble on with talks between the Scottish Government, DEFRA and the Isle of Man, C.O.A.S.T. is keen to air an alternative view on what it believes to be an inevitable ‘scallop war.’

C.O.A.S.T. chair Howard Wood argues that the focus of resentment is misplaced. ‘Finally the complete failure of the Scottish Government and Scottish scallop industry to put in place any form of area management around Scotland is coming home to roost. What a cheek that Lochhead and Marine Scotland blame the Isle of Man for their own government’s failings.

C.O.A.S.T. have warned the government for years that the mobile fishing industry’s veto over common sense and scientifically-proven management will in the end mean that Scottish fishermen suffer in the future.’

'Imagine the shoe was on the other foot. If Manx scallopers came up north to rake our seabed after Scottish fishermen and government had spent over 20 years putting in place more sustainable scallop management only for the Manx scallopers to reap the rewards, there would be an outcry.'

Perhaps if the Scottish Government had taken a similarly proactive regulatory approach when managing its own inshore fisheries over the past 25 years then our fishermen would not have to travel to the Isle of Man to make ends meet. That spawning stock biomass of scallops in the West of Kintrye and North West management areas has declined to historically low levels is surely a sign that Scotland's own approach to shellfish stock management leaves much to be desired.'