Transparency data

12 February 2025: King Scallop Implementation Group (KSIG) meeting minutes

Published 11 July 2025

This meeting was held online on Microsoft Teams on Wednesday 12 February 2025 (10:00am to 12:15pm UK time).

Attendees

• Martin Underwood – Defra, chair
• Helen Hunter, Joanna Messini – Defra
• Callum Williams – Marine Management Organisation (MMO)
• Mark Duffy – Natural England
• Lewis Tattersall, Sophie Bennett – Seafish
• David Beard – Manx Fish Producers Organisation
• Bill Brock – Leach Fishing
• Stuart King – West Coast Sea Products
• Claire Pescod – King Scallop Fishery Improvement Project
• Foster Gault – Seafood Ecosse, Scottish White Fish Producers Organisation
• Harry Owen – Western Fish Producers Organisation
• Sarah Clarke – Devon and Severn Inshore Fishery and Conservation Authority
• Chris Vinnecombe – Amethyst Fishing Company Ltd
• Robert Enever – Fishtek Marine
• Clarus Chu – WWF–UK
• Juliette Hatchman – South West Fish Producers Organisation (SWFPO), Scallop Industry Consultation Group (SICG)
• Andrew Brown – Macduff Shellfish

Apologies

• Tom Beresford – Amethyst Fishing Company Ltd
• David McCandless – North Eastern Inshore Fishery and Conservation Authority
• Katie Haldenby – Defra

Agenda

1. Minutes and actions from previous meetings
2. Terms of reference (ToR)
3. Scallop groups landscape
4. Proposed task-and-finish groups – 1) prioritisation and work planning 2) input and output controls 3) harmonisation of measures
5. Broad alignment of measures – Seafish paper
6. Next meeting

1. Minutes and actions from previous meetings

The chair thanked members for providing comments on the previous meeting minutes, which would be finalised and shared for agreement upon Katie’s return.

All required actions from the previous meeting had been completed, with some outstanding until the end of February. Any outstanding and new actions will appear at the end of the minutes

2. Terms of reference (ToR)

We updated the ToR and amended them to take on board suggestions from members which had been circulated prior to the meeting. While it was agreed that this was a near final version there were some outstanding points for discussion as follows.

Chair of KSIG

There had been mixed views around whether the role of chair should rotate around members and on appointing an independent chair. Defra confirmed that funding for an independent chair, if this was desired, would need to be sourced by members of the group.

Defra agreed to continue as chair for the first year. The ToR had been amended to leave this open for further consideration in the future, for which a process for the appointment of a replacement chair would need to be agreed.

Additional wording had also been included in the ToR to make the role of chair clearer, deciding that they will be neutral and lead on facilitating meetings.

Minute taking

There was general agreement to rotate the role of minute taker among the group. The minute taker would use the record or transcript function of Microsoft Teams to capture and then summarise the main points.

A concern was raised around the risk of bias being introduced if minutes were taken by members other than Defra. The chair acknowledged this concern but reinforced that the processes in place, where draft minutes would be provided for members to review and ensure an accurate record of the discussion, should be sufficient to prevent bias. This would be kept under review.

Arrangements were being made by Defra for meeting minutes to be published on GOV.UK.

Agreed edits to the ToR

Delete ‘approving’ from the first paragraph at the top of page 3. Amended text to read ‘the group is responsible for all tasks and finished group products.’

Delete ‘Sustainability initiatives’ from ToR section of Group Membership and Organisation on page 2.

Membership: Fishery Improvement Progress (FIP) representative and under 15m representatives

It was agreed that membership would be reviewed after months, given this is a new group, and then annually or as necessary to ensure the group is representative.

The chair confirmed that Claire Pescod would act as scallop FIP representative on the group and that a conflict-of-interest declaration could be added to the ToR for all members to complete. It is not unusual for group members to be connected with more than one sector, organisation or project.

Two places were being held on the group for under 15m (metre) vessel representatives. Defra had contacted the Association of Inshore Fishery Conservation Authorities (AIFCA) to seek help identifying possible candidates. All members were encouraged to reach out to wider industry to seek under 15m representation on the group.

It was acknowledged that there are challenges for active fishermen, particularly from the under 15m sector, in attending meetings as they are not paid to attend and potentially giving up fishing time depending on the timing of meetings. Members supported the suggestion of holding some evening meetings to allow active fishermen to attend.

It was raised that environmental non-governmental organisations (eNGOs) had requested for the group to consider increasing eNGO representation, given there was currently only one. This would be considered as part of a future review of membership, as above.

3. Scallop groups landscape

As an action from the previous meeting, Claire, Foster and Juliette had volunteered to carry out work to map the various scallop groups to help understand the groups that exist, their role, purpose and membership. This would help to inform considerations around how the groups already or could connect and identify potential overlaps, both in terms of membership and scope. This will be referred to as the ‘scallop group landscape’.

Slides were presented which set out the various group structures and links between them. Whilst it was acknowledged that a number of scallop groups were already established with some membership overlap, there appeared to be limited remit overlap as there were clear and definitive roles for each group.

The potential for some overlap between the scallop stock assessment project steering board (PSB) and the scallop science group was discussed. It was agreed that whilst the remit of these two groups were similar, there were clear differences which justified the need for separate groups. The PSB specifically oversees the scallop stock assessment work, as a collaborative group lead by the Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science (Cefas) and involving industry, Defra, MMO and Seafish. The remit of the scallop science group, whilst still to be fully confirmed and agreed, focussed more on providing scientific advice and opinions relating to the measures being developed under the King scallop fisheries management plan (FMP).

There was a request for the Cornish Fish Producers Organisation to be added to the ‘scallop group landscape’ and eNGO interests to be clearly identified in relevant group or groups.

Other groups with an interest in scalloping were highlighted, such as the Benthic Impacts Working Group, which could potentially be added to the group maps.

Establishing and maintaining effective links between the Welsh implementation group and KSIG were raised, as while the groups would progress work separately it all underpins the delivery of the joint English and Welsh FMP. Existing communication between the groups should be built on to provide increased opportunities for exchange of ideas, information sharing and regular updates, including attendance at meetings where appropriate.

The potential for wider representation of Inshore Fishery Conservation Authority (IFCA) scallop permit holders was raised. Devon and Severn IFCA highlighted that they are in a good position to act as a conduit of information from the group to their sector, and bring the views of fishers to the group or consideration when developing measures. It was noted that Cornwall IFCA was also likely to be in a good position to be able to do this in their region. The level of input that other IFCAs which manage scalloping within their districts was unclear.

The current remit and membership of the SICG was discussed, which was being considered by the chair as updates may be needed.

The group agreed that the work carried out so far to map the various scallop groups was valuable and would be used as an ongoing key source of information to help with work planning and improving comms and transparency as work progresses. The group mapping would be revisited at future meetings and updated when required as groups, and work, develop. It was agreed that it would be helpful for links to be added alongside the groups to where their ToR and relevant info was published (including for the KSIG).

4. Harmonisation of measures: Seafish paper

Seafish provided an overview of a paper they were commissioned to produce by Defra. This sets out information on existing scallop management measures in UK waters and potential areas where harmonisation of measures could be considered (an action under objective four of the King scallop FMP). It was highlighted that the report had been produced as an initial draft on which to begin discussions with the KSIG, to consider and refine further.

The group agreed that the paper provided a good starting point for further discussion, which brought together a lot of information. Sufficient time would be needed to review the information and careful consideration given around potential areas to develop, as measures should not be altered or aligned for the sake of harmonisation.

Consideration would also be needed around implications of the Trading and Co-operation Agreement (TCA) for all measures being developed. The benefits and impacts of harmonising measures would also need be considered.

5. Proposed task-and-finish groups

As proposed on the meeting agenda, 3 potential task-and-finish groups had been suggested to take forward some of the detailed work that would be required to progress actions under the FMP. These would be based on:

• the Seafish paper on harmonisation of measures
• the Cefas report on input and output controls
• a prioritisation of the work planning group where members will identify key priorities and actions for the KSIG

Prioritisation and work planning

It was agreed that a task-and-finish group would be established to develop a work plan and begin to prioritise actions for the KSIG, based on the objectives and actions set out in the King scallop FMP. The following members volunteered to be part of this group:

• Juliette
• Rob
• Claire
• Foster
• Harry
• Mark
• Clarus

Input and output controls

The Cefas report on input and output controls was due to be delivered to Defra at the end of February, which would then be shared with the KSIG. It was agreed that a task-and-finish-group would be established to consider the outcomes and recommendations in the report and potential next steps. The following members volunteered to be part of this group:

• Andrew
• Juliette
• Callum
• Clarus
• Foster
• Harry
• Stuart
• Bill

Broad alignment of measures

It was agreed that all group members would review the paper and provide comments, following which a dedicated task-and-finish-group could be set up to progress this work if required.

6. Next meeting

The next KSIG meeting had been scheduled to take place on Thursday 13 May in Bristol. Whilst members were encouraged to join in person there would be an option to join online if this is not possible. It was agreed that this meeting may revert to an online meeting held later in the day to allow fishers to join, as discussed earlier in the meeting. This would be dependent on whether any interest from fishers (particularly from the under 15m sector) was secured.

Actions

MMO (Callum Williams) to share closure strategy guidance document. Due end of February 2025.

Defra (Katie Haldenby) to share Cefas report. Due end of February 2025.

Defra to amend ToR and share updated version with the group. Due 14 March 2025.

All members to review scallop group mapping slides and provide any comments on additional groups or interactions that it would be helpful to include. Due 13 May 2025.

All members to provide comments on the harmonisation paper to Seafish, copied to Defra, which would be collated and shared with the group for further discussion. Due 28 March 2025.

Defra toset up the work planning group and hold the first meeting. Due 14 March 2025.

Defra to set up the input and output controls group and hold the first meeting. Due 14 March 2025.

All members to update Defra if they know of any potential new members that could fill the remaining 2 slots. Due 25 April 2025.

Defra to keep KSIG meeting arrangements in May under review and confirm with the group. Due 25 April 2025.