Draft Sea Fisheries (Les Ecréhous) (Jersey) Amendment Regulations 202-

REPORT

Expansion of Les Écréhous No Parlour Pot Zone Proposal

Marine Resources are proposing to expand the No Parlour Pot Zone at the Les Écréhous offshore reef (Figure 1). Highly effective parlour pots would be prohibited from a wider area of productive shallow reef habitat, helping to improve the sustainability of this fishery.

Figure 1. Current No Parlour Pot Zone (outlined in red) and proposed extended No Parlour Pot Zone (outlined in black) around Les Écréhous reef.

Background

1. Potting for lobster and crab is the mainstay of the majority of the Jersey commercial fishing fleet as well as for several French vessels that fish, under licence, in Jersey waters though the Trade and Cooperation Agreement. It is therefore vital that the resource is managed properly both to ensure that stocks are not overfished and so that those whose livelihoods depend on it are secure.
2. Some of the most productive lobster fishing grounds are amongst the shallow subtidal rocky  habitats  found  close  inshore  and  at  the  main  offshore  reefs;  Les  Minquiers, Les Écréhous and Les Dirouilles. In the case of the offshore reefs, access is shared between Jersey and licenced French fishers.
3. To aid good stock management, various management measures have been introduced over the last 20 years. Some apply across our seas and others are area specific as is the case with the current initiative. Since 1997 the use of certain pot types has been prohibited at Les Minquiers. The Sea Fisheries (Les Minquiers) (Jersey) Regulations 2007 sets out a zone whereby any parlour pot and any pot or trap that is so constructed that fish (other than molluscs) cannot escape, are prohibited. Amendments were then made in 2007.
4. It is generally agreed that the ban of these very efficient pots at this high value site has been of benefit to the stock of targeted shellfish species, primarily the lobster. Following discussions  at  the  Joint  Advisory  Committee  and  the  Joint  Management  Committee sessions of the Bay of Granville Agreement meetings in February 2017 the establishment of a similar zone at Les Écréhous was agreed by all parties.

5. Since its inception in 2018, the zone at Les Écréhous has been a success but limited by those who use it due to its size. In 2019, a Lobster Working Group was formed to discuss new management measures which could aid stock management. An increase in the No Parlour Pot Zone at Les Écréhous was submitted to the Jersey Fishermen's Association. This management was put on hold until 2026 when it was raised by the Jersey Fishermen's Association with backing from industry in both Jersey and France.
6. Commercial landings for the lobster fishery have been steadily declining since 2015 (Figure 2) but management measures were delayed due to Covid and Brexit workloads. Following research carried out by the Marine Resources department, the stock remains at a low level for both undersize (below minimum landing size) and size (above minimum landing size) animals with additional management being necessary to increase the stock.

Figure 2: Jersey commercial fishing boat landed mass of lobster (kg) from 2007 to 2025. Financial and staffing implications

There  are  no  financial  or  staffing  implications  arising  from  the  adoption  of  these  draft Regulations.

Children's Rights Impact Assessment

A Children's Rights Impact Assessment (CRIA) has been prepared in relation to this proposition and is available to read on the States Assembly website.

Draft Sea Fisheries (Les Ecréhous) (Jersey) Amendment Regulations 202-  Explanatory Note

EXPLANATORY NOTE

These  Regulations  amend the Sea Fisheries (Les Ecréhous) (Jersey) Regulations 2018  (the "2018 Regulations").  They  come  into force  on  1  December  2026.  This  note  refers  to  the provisions of the 2018 Regulations.

The definition of "Les Ecréhous" in Regulation 1 (interpretation) is replaced by a new definition that clarifies how the latitude and longitude co-ordinates in the Schedule are intended to be used to outline the area in which the restrictions described in Regulation 2 apply (the "no parlour pot zone").

The Schedule is amended to change the boundaries, and increase the size, of the no parlour pot zone at Les Ecréhous.

Draft Sea Fisheries (Les Ecréhous) (Jersey) Amendment Regulations 202-  Contents

DRAFT SEA FISHERIES (LES ECRÉHOUS) (JERSEY) AMENDMENT REGULATIONS 202-

Contents

Regulation

1 Sea Fisheries (Les Ecréhous) (Jersey) Regulations 2018 amended ................................ 6 2 Regulation 1 (interpretation) amended ........................................................................ 6 3 Schedule (area of Les Ecréhous) amended .................................................................... 6 4 Title ................................................................................................................................ 7 5 Commencement ............................................................................................................ 7

DRAFT SEA FISHERIES (LES ECRÉHOUS) (JERSEY) AMENDMENT REGULATIONS 202-

Made  [date to be inserted] Coming into force  [date to be inserted]

THE STATES make these Regulations under Articles 2 and 29 of the Sea Fisheries (Jersey) Law 1994 –

1  Sea Fisheries (Les Ecréhous) (Jersey) Regulations 2018 amended

These Regulations amend the Sea Fisheries (Les Ecréhous) (Jersey) Regulations 2018. 2  Regulation 1 (interpretation) amended

In Regulation 1, for the definition of "Les Ecréhous" there is substituted –

"Les Ecréhous" means the area –

1. outlined by joining, in a series of straight lines, the co-ordinates shown in the table in the Schedule in the following sequence –

1. co-ordinate number 1;
2. co-ordinate number 2;
3. co-ordinate number 3;
4. co-ordinate number 4;
5. co-ordinate number 1; and

2. shown in the chart in the Schedule;

3  Schedule (area of Les Ecréhous) amended

1. For the table in the Schedule there is substituted –

2. For the chart in the Schedule there is substituted –

4  Title

These Regulations are the Sea Fisheries (Les Ecréhous) (Jersey) Amendment Regulations 202-.

5  Commencement

These Regulations come into force on 1 December 2026.