Policy paper

Skates and rays fisheries management plan (FMP): what happens next

Updated 16 December 2025

Applies to England

The FMP covers 7 species (11 stocks) within the Southern North Sea and English Channel, all of which are jointly managed by the UK and EU: 

• blonde ray

• cuckoo ray 

• small-eyed ray 

• spotted ray 

• starry ray 

• thornback ray 

• undulate ray 

7 of the stocks are being fished sustainably, one requires action to ensure long-term sustainability (starry ray) and there is insufficient evidence to make an assessment of 3 of the stocks (blonde ray, small-eyed ray and thornback ray).  

Sustainable fisheries goals 

Policy goals 1 to 3 contribute to the key theme of sustainable fisheries. 

Policy goal 1: harvest stocks of blonde ray (in 4b, 4c and 7d), cuckoo ray, spotted ray, thornback ray (in subarea 4, 3a and 7d) and undulate ray sustainably  

The aim of this goal is to maintain these species above the level capable of producing maximum sustainable yield (MSY).  

Actions we will continue to take:  

• seek to set total allowable catches (TACs) and determine fishing opportunities based on the best available scientific advice 

• work with the EU in accordance with the policies in the Joint Fisheries Statement including the principles of international fisheries negotiations, with the aim of agreeing TACs to maintain the sustainable harvesting of the stocks through international negotiations 

Policy goal 2: implement effective management that contributes to the restoration of starry ray stocks to levels capable of producing MSY and to maintain or increase the level of blonde ray (in 7e), small eyed ray and thornback ray (in 7e) 

Actions supporting this goal will be taken and if supported by evidence, management measures will be put in place. Any measures will be dependent on further research to determine the most suitable approach. If determined to be appropriate, these measures would aim to provide protection primarily for the 3 data-limited stocks. Where there are benefits to doing so, certain management measures will be considered more widely across all FMP stocks. 

Actions we will take: 

• continue current management for these stocks and species level prohibition of starry ray (ongoing) 

• consider alternative approaches to the current group TACs (within 2 or more years) 

• consider the implementation of minimum conservation reference sizes (after 2 or more years) 

• consider the implementation of a maximum conservation reference size (after 2 or more years) 

• introduce voluntary guidelines (within 2 or more years) 

• explore and, where appropriate, implement spatial and temporal closures (after 2 or more years) 

Policy goal 3:  deliver effective management through, where possible identifying, minimising and mitigating pressures on skates and ray stocks 

This goal aims to improve biological and environmental sustainability within the FMP remit by identifying, minimising and mitigating fishing pressures exerted on skates and rays and also on the environment and other species as a result of fishing for skates and rays. 

Actions we will take:  

• define key interactions of fisheries landing skates and rays (after 2 or more years) 

• seek to manage key interactions to minimise adverse impacts of fisheries landing skates and rays (after 2 or more years) 

• better understand the impact of non-fishing pressures on skate and ray stocks (after 2 or more years) 

• better understand the impact of fishing gear interactions with the marine environment in the skate and ray fishery (after 2 or more years) 

Evidence goals 

Policy goals 4 and 5 contribute to the key theme of evidence. 

Policy goal 4: seek to improve datasets to support an MSY assessment of thornback ray in 7e, blonde ray in 7e and small-eyed ray in 7d and 7e 

This goal and associated actions will contribute towards obtaining the scientific evidence necessary to enable an assessment of the stock’s MSY. 

 Actions we will continue to take:   

• explore and prioritise management and evidence gathering to contribute to improving the assessment of thornback ray in 7e, blonde ray in 7e and small-eyed ray in 7d and 7e 

• consider the catch per unit effort for the under 10m fleet using Inshore Vessel Monitoring System data to support implementation of effort data into fishing records  

• update and distribute skate and ray handling, regulatory and identification guidelines to commercial and recreational fishers, to help improve data collection of these species as well as survivability 

• management and evidence gathering includes the continuation of the small-eyed ray 7e sentinel fishery ahead of potential future precautionary reopening of the fishery, as per the UK-EU joint commitment. This will require resource from ICES, and so improvement in any future assessment will be contingent on that. 

Policy goal 5: better understand the wider skate and ray species evidence gaps and develop the evidence base 

The aim of this goal is to collect new data to fill evidence gaps using new or novel technologies as appropriate. Data will be managed transparently while consistent with data protection regulation. 

Actions we will continue to take: 

• develop evidence base related to skate and ray species 

• establish new data collection channels to close evidence gaps 

Social and economic goals 

Policy goals 6 and 7 contribute to the key theme of social and economic benefits. 

Policy goal 6: better understand and improve social and economic benefits  

The aim of this goal is to map and understand benefits from skate and ray fisheries, putting in place mechanisms to optimise these benefits.  

Actions we will take: 

• develop evidence base related to social and economic considerations (within 2 or more years) 

• identify new ways to collect social and economic data (after 2 years or more) 

• develop sector support measures (more than 2 years) 

Policy goal 7: develop partnership working with industry  

Within 2 years, we will consider the establishment of a skates and rays management group or another similar forum. This may develop over time to allow for continued engagement in ongoing management of skate and ray fisheries.