“The Scottish Government will introduce a Targeted Scientific Programme in the Clyde from February 2026,” the Government said in its official consultation response. That sits alongside a new statutory order setting who can work the Firth of Clyde, when, and on what terms for the next three years. (gov.scot)

Signed by Mairi Gougeon on 14 January and laid before the Scottish Parliament on 16 January, the Sea Fish (Prohibition on Fishing) (Firth of Clyde) Order 2026 (SSI 2026/10) comes into force on 14 February 2026. It establishes a large “Area A” across the Clyde where access is restricted until 13 February 2029, plus two inner zones - “Area B” and “Area C” - where seasonal closures continue.

Area A is not open to all. Only a “relevant British fishing boat” - a vessel that fished in Area A and landed catch at least once between 1 January 2023 and 31 December 2025 - may operate there. Within Areas B and C, even those vessels must stand down during the spawning window; they can return from 1 May to 13 February, with those dates rolling each year to 2029.

That spawning window has been in place in one form or another since 2002 and, more recently, has meant full closures from 14 February to 30 April. Ministers say the approach protects cod spawning grounds, with maps and co‑ordinates set out in the schedules to the order. (legislation.gov.uk)

Two important carve‑outs remain: boats authorised for scientific work, and the fact the order applies only to British‑registered vessels. Breaches remain criminal offences under the Sea Fish (Conservation) Act 1967, with courts able to impose fines - up to £50,000 on summary conviction - and order forfeiture of fish and gear. Marine Directorate’s “Operation Galene” sets out how closures are enforced on the water. (legislation.gov.uk)

Ministers argue the three‑year plan is about rebuilding trust in the evidence as well as protecting fish. “The SSI will restrict access of commercial fishing vessels in the Firth of Clyde for its duration,” the Government says, while a year‑round programme will map juvenile and spawning hotspots and support tools such as real‑time closures. (gov.scot)

The move follows two turbulent years when exemptions for Nephrops trawlers, creelers and scallop dredgers were removed and the closure area was trimmed to better match seabed types used by cod. Officials maintain that activity near the seabed can disturb spawning and that the policy now leans on targeted evidence. (gov.scot)

Not everyone agrees. The Sustainable Inshore Fisheries Trust has challenged the scientific basis of the 2026 order, calling the latest consultation “fatally flawed” and warning the measures could harm parts of the fleet without delivering recovery. (sift.scot)

For skippers from the North of England who sometimes work west‑coast grounds, the new track‑record test matters. Vessels without Clyde history in 2023–2025 will be shut out of Area A until 2029, while those with a record must still tie up in Areas B and C from mid‑February to end‑April. Seafood buyers should plan around a tighter late‑winter window for Clyde‑caught fish, noting that other grounds remain open. (gov.scot)

A Business and Regulatory Impact Assessment has been filed with the Scottish Parliament Information Centre. The Marine Directorate says it will work with skippers and scientists during the Targeted Scientific Programme, with vessel tracking and, where needed, Remote Electronic Monitoring to aid compliance and data collection. Expect adjustments as the programme builds evidence. (gov.scot)