Transparency data

10 February 2025: Bass Management Group meeting minutes

Updated 9 May 2025

This meeting was held on Monday 10 February 2025 at 2 Marsham Street, London (10:30am to 2pm). 

Attendees

• Martin Underwood - Defra Chair
• Grant Horsburgh - Defra
• Peter Elliott - Defra
• Richard Stride - South Coast Fisherman’s Council
• Chris Collins - Marine Management Organisation
• Andrew Newlands - Marine Management Organisation
• Hannah Rudd - Angling Trust
• Rob Pearson - Sussex Inshore Fisheries and Conservation Authority
• David Curtis - Bass Angling Conservation
• Neil Witney - Commercial Fisherman
• Martin Peverly - Natural England
• Mike Cohen - National Federation of Fisherman’s Organisations
• Sean Jukes - Bass Anglers’ Sportfishing Society

Online

• Kieran Hyder - Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science
• Jean Duggan - Royal Society for the Protection of Birds
• Andrew Pascoe - Cornish Fish Producers Organisation
• Rob Thompson - Professional Boatman’s Association
• Simon Toms - Environment Agency
• Chloe Rogers - UK Association of Fish Producer Organisations
• Nathan Wyer - Welsh Government

Apologies

• Phil McBryde - Defra

Agenda

1. Welcome, introduction and updates
2. FMP updates
3. Evidence discussion
4. Agree next steps for short term measures delivery
5. Close

Notes and actions

Welcome, introduction and updates:

• Defra covered outstanding actions listed on the action log
• the group agreed on the BMG Terms of Reference document. Further comments to be provided by Bass Angling Conservation following this meeting
• Defra advised the group that a GOV.UK web page for the group’s meeting minutes and terms of reference document is currently being considered. This could potentially be used to support transparency of the work of the BMG and enable all stakeholders to stay updated
• Defra provided an overview of the outcome of the annual UK and EU Fisheries Negotiations 2024. Bass Angling Conservation raised concerns about the agreed commercial bass catch limits and questioned the ICES stock assessment advice
• a commercial fisherman said that in raising the percentage catch limits from 5% to 10% this had positively impacted the levels of discarding that are occurring
• since the previous meeting in November 2024 the MMO led authorisation system review has commenced and held 3 meetings. Details of which have been shared by the MMO with the attendees for sharing with their respective stakeholder groups

Fisheries Management Plan (FMP) updates

Short term measures

Defra provided a progress update on delivery of the short-term measures in the Fisheries Management Plan (FMP). They confirmed that a progress tracker had been developed and would be updated for the group to review at future meetings.

The group discussed the process of prioritising short-term measures. The Bass Angling Conservation proposed that the group should establish a criteria against which measures should be assessed. This would include:

• increase stock size
• increase economic benefits
• ensure fairness

It was agreed by the group to consider these criteria in the round.

There was general consensus that quick wins were an attractive option. However, the group would need to make difficult decisions when prioritising work. They should not rely only on the easiest measures. It is also important to maintain a certain level of delivery.

The group understood that the process will be iterative, and some areas will have to be a lower priority due to capacity and any funding constraints.

These issues of collective resource constraints were noted by the group.

Shore based netting review

Defra delivered a presentation detailing progress on the Shore Based Intertidal Netting review that is underway (Attached at Annex 1). No questions or comments were received from the group.

Authorisation System Review

The MMO delivered a presentation on progress with the Authorisation System review that is currently underway (Attached at annex 2) .

Questions and comments received from the group

Comments from the Bass Angling Conservation:

• request for data on number of bass authorisations by vessel type. The MMO responded that they were waiting for 2024 data to become available and would share once received
• holders of multiple authorisations should be reviewed. How many people hold multiple authorisations? The MMO responded that this will be included in the ‘gear review’ section of the authorisation review
• what will happen with the output of the authorisation review? The MMO responded that output from the review will be compiled and brought to the BMG for consideration
• they said they do not have confidence in the current process and are unclear how the review will move from suggestions to a recommendation at the end of the process

Defra stated that the authorisation review is in its initial phase, and that the MMO are currently undertaking is a SWOT (strength, weaknesses, opportunities, threats) analysis. This will allow all attendees to share their ideas and concerns in an open forum.

The group acknowledged that this was an essential way of working collaboratively, as some members will have more understanding of specific areas than others, and it allowed for shared understanding of often technical issues.

The group acknowledged that, all information will be collated and reviewed before the group propose recommendations for the BMG to consider. Recognising final decisions are made by Defra.

Defra and the MMO data on authorisations will be made available before the next meeting of the BMG.

The MMO plan to conclude the review following the next meeting of the BMG and agreed to continue to share progress with the wider group between BMG meetings.

Evidence discussion

Defra led the discussion on the published FMP evidence gaps to assess if there was a sufficient baseline of information to allow the group to proceed with implementation of the respective short-term measures set out in the FMP.

Defra tabled an evidence template to inform this discussion and said it would share an updated version with the group following this meeting for group comments. (Attach final evidence template annex 3)

Discussion within the group touched on the following themes:

• science and evidence should not be seen as separate from other subjects within the BMG but instead seen in the context of how to deliver priorities
• utilisation of available resources
• pace at which areas of work can be delivered
• there are key uncertainties in current data that affect the decisions we are trying to make. Spans socioeconomic benefits as well as better scientific understanding

MMO Catch App

The MMO Catch App does not allow for rod and line fishermen to input discards. Must instead rely on own recall. The also app does not distinguish between releases and mortality.

Some commercial stakeholders suggested that there is a misconception amongst fishers that if they fill out discards data on the app, then they will be subject to heightened checks by MMO enforcement officers. This should be a point to follow up on regarding distrust in the processes when data is submitted.

Cefas led presentation and discussion on evidence

The following table captures comments made by the group on the current status of evidence gaps identified in the FMP, whether more is needed or should be commissioned, and next steps.

The Red, Amber, Green (RAG) status indicates:

• green - sufficient evidence to proceed
• amber - more work or thought is needed
• red - insufficient evidence or resource to proceed

FMP goal reference	Discussion points	RAG rating
3.1	- Suggestion to start with this measure. - The group will work with the fishing sector and the MMO to understand discard rates. - Low effort on resource. - Most effective implementation would be general targeting of all people and sectors. - The fishing sector should lead on messaging due to established trust. - Emphasis on not being penalised for providing data. - Note the gaps in recreational data.	Green
3.2	- Gear trials can be expensive. - Conversations to be had with experienced skippers and see their thoughts on addressing goal. this may lead to gear trials alongside skippers. - Defra to speak with the MMO and Seafish regarding analysis of held data to assess patterns of catches.	Amber
3.3	- The general data is good and that a consensus on confidence levels is needed. - There is missing data on barrow trauma. - Survival studies are difficult, expensive and a large undertaking. - Carrying out these studies would take too much time and effort when considering the sorts outcomes of the types of studies have. - Smaller, targeted studies may be considered to focus on barrow trauma, in the form of questionnaires.	Amber
5.1 5.2 5.3	- Seafish have previously provided data on the economic importance of bass. - Beneficial to commission a review. - Defra and Fishing Into The Future study is underway - this may suffice.	Red
6.1	Direction from Cefas that this point can be left which encompassed by work in FMP goal reference 3.1.	Amber
6.2	- Engagement can be improved by better communication from all stakeholders. - Defra may consider blog post to increase awareness of value to FMP programme recreational anglers hold. - Promotion of the Sea Angling Diary and other platforms.	Green
6.3	- Local studies within UK may help, however are time and financially draining. - Consensus from the group that this should be delayed for one year as will be more beneficial at a local management level rather than national.	Amber
6.4	- Linked with FMP goal references 5.1 and 5.3 - social and economic gaps. - Important and relevant but not yet needing action. - Consensus from the group to delay for one year.	Amber
6.5	The group wil follow the steer from Cefas to wait until benchmarking process is complete before addressing this point.	Amber
6.6	- Long timeframe at least 5 years of data before being useful. - High financial cost. - Not best use of current resources.	Red
7.1 7.2 7.3 7.4 7.5 7.6	- The Bournemouth report may cover many areas of this gap. - Discussion on possibility of aligning short and medium actions with evidence gaps to streamline delivery. - Will be beneficial for regional management later on. However, measures such as changes to closed seasons may cause issues with enforcement.	Amber
8.1 8.2 8.3 8.4 8.5	- Cefas have provided initial review: Annex 9 of bass FMP. - Data should also be provided by fishermen, even if anecdotal to provide balance to discussions and quantify the size of the issue.	Amber
9.1 9.2	Defra to understand progress on the Marine Climate Change Impact Partnership adaption project on fish, fisheries and aquaculture.	Amber

 Discussion on ICES advice

The South Coast Fisherman’s Council raised an issue that current ICES advice will see the stock fall by 7.7%. Cefas offered explanation of ICES advice, saying that this is not for the BMG to deal with. Cefas have requested ICES provide a statement on this decision already.

The benchmarking process will be completed in coming months, and following user testing it will then be used for future ICES advice from 2026 onwards.

Bass Angling Conservation suggested that the BMG would be the group that could flag to ICES that this advice may not be the correct advice to follow.

This is to be considered as item for a future meeting agenda and that Bass Angling Conservation would need to bring a paper to for the BMG to consider.

Agree next steps for short term measures delivery

Areas identified as priority for consideration by the BMG, were:

• discards
• improving recreational data collection
• bycatch
• closed seasons
• gear types

Medium to long term measure

The group having previously suggested that an increased the Minimum Conservation Reference Sizes (MCRS) of 45cm could be a quick win. The merits of delivering this (medium to long term measure) now were discussed.

It was suggested that before further work was done that Cefas should consider and prepare a report on the implications for any increase in MCRS.

Close

Meeting minutes and associated documents will be sent out to BMG members following this meeting. Members are reminded to distribute these minutes to stakeholders and invite feedback.

Date of next meeting

A date for the next meeting is expected to be in late Spring. The exact date will be arranged by Defra secretariat in due course.

Actions

Simon Toms from the Environment Agency to circulate European project reporting on bycatch in inshore coastal gillnets.

The MMO and Defra to provide figures from landings (hook and line and gillnets) at next meeting.

Kieran Hyder from Cefas to:

• follow up with MMO and Seafish regarding interrogation of data for patterns of catches of bass. In relation to 3.2
• make all references to Bass FMP evidence gaps available
• consider if there is benefit to spawning stock biomass if the MCRS is increased to 45cm

The Defra Non-Quota Species (NQS) team to follow up with Natural England and the Environment Agency regarding bycatch of sensitive species and salmonids.