Lobster stocking therefore seems feasible biologically and requires to be tested economically and on a larger scale. However, to prevent future benefits of lobster stock enhancement being dissipated by increasing fishing effort it will be necessary to manage access and harvesting effectively and possibly in the long term to grant individual ownership rights. Bill seeks to extend the original 1967 Act, which covers only molluscs, to give protection and enhancement to lobster stocks. Cockle, mussel and oyster fishermen in England and Wales have benefited for over 30 years by having several and regulated fisheries which they manage themselves or with the aid of sea fisheries committees. There are now in place 28 fishery orders in England and Wales and two several orders in Scotland.
Individual fishermen have their rights protected.
All applications for fishery orders are rigorously scrutinised by fisheries departments and Ministers have powers to limit the size and duration of the orders granted to applicants. A well established consultation procedure ensures that traditional fishermen are not disadvantaged by curtailing their rights to the public fishery. A recent consultation exercise by the Scottish Office showed that regulating orders were welcomed by many inshore fishermen who responded. They were seen as helping local fishing interests by the management of local stocks and preventing their over-exploitation. The new Bill will enable suitable sites to be considered for lobster stock enhancement, possibly using artificial reefs to help create or extend existing resources for the public good.