2006 Strategic Environmental Assessment SEA7 Technical Report - Fish and fisheries (NE Atlantic west of Scotland)

This report is a contribution to the Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA7) conducted by the Department of Trade and Industry (now Department of Energy and Climate Change). The SEA7 area includes the west coast of mainland Scotland with its numerous sea lochs, the continental shelf with the Hebridean Islands, the continental slope of the northern Rockall Trough, the Rockall Trough and its seamounts, the Rockall and Hatton Banks and the abyssal depths to the west of Hatton Bank. All these areas, except the abyssal depths support a diverse variety of fisheries using demersal, pelagic and static gears. SEA7 lies within ICES Sub areas VI and XII. Relevant aspects of the biology of 39 species or species groups have been described. Brief descriptions are given of the fishery for each species, including the method of fishing and the long term trends in the landings from each of the management areas are described.