Better marking of creel pots in Scotland
Plastic milk cartons and netted footballs can no longer be used to mark creel pots in Scottish waters.
The Marking of Creels (Scotland) Order 2020 came into effect on 20 June, and applies to creels deployed within 12 nautical miles of Scotland’s coastal baseline. It aims to reduce accidental gear entanglement involving boats. Creels must now be marked by buoys that clearly display the fishing boat’s port letter and number (PLN), a code used to identify vessels. Only marker buoys designed for the marking of equipment in the water can be used. Fleets of 10 or more creels must have one or more marker buoy at each end of the fleet, and all buoys must display the same PLN.
Enforcement will rely on Marine Scotland patrols acting on intelligence or tip-offs from the public. The Scottish Government has also confirmed that the removal of illegal markers would ‘depend on operational priorities and individual circumstances, including how much gear is attached to the markers.
‘Officers are more likely to take immediate action if a small number of creels [are] involved – larger numbers are more likely to be recovered by a larger marine protection vessel. Officers would never cut off the marker on its own, so action will only take place when they can safely recover the marker and everything attached to it,’ said a spokesman.
The new law has been welcomed by the Cruising Association, which has campaigned for the clearer marking of static fishing gear in UK waters.