Scottish Ministers have revoked the Sea Fish (Prohibition on Fishing) (Firth of Clyde) Order 2026. The Revocation Order (SSI 2026/95) was made at 09:15 on 17 February 2026, laid before the Scottish Parliament at 13:15 the same day, and comes into force on 18 February 2026. It removes, with immediate effect, the seasonal prohibition that had applied in the defined Firth of Clyde closure areas for 2026.
The instrument being revoked-SSI 2026/10-set out a seasonal closure to protect spawning cod and was subject to the negative procedure in the Scottish Parliament. Committee papers and evidence sessions confirm it formed part of the long‑running “Clyde cod box” policy framework considered by the Rural Affairs and Islands Committee in late January 2026. Consultation materials indicate the seasonal closure window typically ran from 14 February to 30 April in recent years. (parliament.scot)
The practical consequence of revocation is that the spatial prohibitions created by SSI 2026/10 no longer apply from 18 February 2026. Commercial and recreational operators may resume fishing within those areas, using mobile or static gear as permitted under general law, licensing conditions and any separate area‑based measures that remain in force elsewhere in the Clyde.
Background papers from the Scottish Government’s Marine Directorate describe how the Clyde closure has been implemented since 2002 and, since 2022, without exemptions. The 2026 consultation also signalled access restrictions based on recent track record and a Targeted Scientific Programme to improve evidence. Those policy elements now fall away with the revocation of the 2026 Order, unless re‑established by separate instrument or licence condition. (gov.scot)
Operators should treat the reopening as a return to the standard regulatory baseline rather than a deregulation of the fishery. Existing obligations on catch reporting, quota management, gear and area controls continue to apply. Vessels of 12 metres overall length or more must continue to maintain electronic logbooks under the Scottish implementation of EU‑derived control rules. (gov.scot)
Specific technology requirements also persist. Remote Electronic Monitoring remains mandatory for any vessel dredging for scallops in Scottish waters under regulations introduced in 2024, with further REM obligations scheduled for pelagic vessels from March 2026. Revocation of the Clyde closure does not alter those duties. (gov.scot)
For smaller vessels not required to use electronic systems, the established paper reporting routes to Marine Directorate Fishery Offices remain in place, including prior notification where applicable. Skippers should ensure that logbooks, landings data and sales documentation are submitted using the methods set out in compliance guidance. (gov.scot)
Geographically, the now‑revoked regime followed recent practice of focusing restrictions on targeted Clyde polygons rather than a single, expansive box. Earlier Scottish Parliament briefings noted the shift to smaller, targeted areas when exemptions were removed in 2022, an approach broadly maintained in 2024–2025 and planned again for 2026 before today’s change. (parliament.scot)
The decision lands amid active debate on effectiveness and socio‑economic impact. Stakeholders and scientists gave contrasting evidence to the Rural Affairs and Islands Committee on 28 January 2026, and the Sustainable Inshore Fisheries Trust separately challenged the scientific basis of the 2026 Order ahead of its laying. Revocation will therefore be read both as a fisheries management pivot and as a live policy question likely to return to committee scrutiny. (parliament.scot)
From an operational standpoint, skippers should confirm any local restrictions or licence variations that may still constrain activity, particularly species‑specific closures and catch limits published by the Marine Directorate. Routine monitoring and enforcement by Marine Directorate Compliance continue unchanged despite the lifting of the Clyde‑specific prohibition. (gov.scot)