Biological

• Removal of and damage to sedentary marine organisms

• Capture and removal of small sized marine organisms and non-target species

• Non-catch mortality

• Capture of undersized target species

• Increased vulnerability to predation

Environmental

• Displacement and removal of stones

• Damage to seabed strata and reefs

• Hard contact fishing method means damage can be related to weight of gear.

• Diameter of rings and size of back netting.

• Thickness of teeth on bar

• Width of dredge

• Spacing of teeth on the bar

• Sediment type

• Weight of dredge

• Maximum number of dredges per side of vessel

• Minimum size of ring on the bag and minimum mesh size

• Minimum distance between teeth

• Minimum fish sizes

• Maximum weight limit per dredge

• Fishing for scallops in the Scottish zone using the “French dredge” is prohibited. (a dredge with a rigid fixed digging plate).

• Seasonal closures

Improvement measures and initiatives taken by Scottish Fishermen

• Newly developed toothless scallop dredges are currently being used in the Queen scallop fisheries, whereby the toothed bar has been replaced with a rubber mat fixture. Further projects are underway to refine these new dredging techniques and attempt to apply them to King scallop fisheries. In order to cover other types of scallop ground, toothless dredges are also being trialled with a metal plate rather than a toothed bar and it is hoped that this will be as successful as the rubber matted dredge.

• Vessels using the new toothless gear have found that drag has been significantly reduced as it is lighter and there is no hard impact damage to the seabed. Environmental damage and displacement is much reduced, and fuel consumption greatly improved, thus reducing carbon and environmental footprints.