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Post by SHARK on Apr 21, 2009 21:30:57 GMT 1
A NEW byelaw has been introduced in the Isle of Man banning all forms of towed fishing gear in Douglas Bay until 2011 to help protect scallop fisheries.
It is hoped that this closure will enable scallops to be left in peace to repopulate the area on a larger level, BBC News reported.
Today, 26,000 two-year-old scallops will be placed into the bay by the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF).
This is the second such coastal area in Manx waters to introduce the ruling.
The Minister for DAFF, Phil Gawne MHK, who signed the byelaw, said: "The department will closely monitor scallop populations in Douglas Bay and elsewhere over the next few years.
"I hope that this monitoring will provide an indication of the benefits that this closure will provide to Manx scallop populations and the fishermen that depend on them for their livelihoods."
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