A lightbulb moment for scallop fishing

Like so many bright ideas, it came about by accident. Dr Rob Enever of the Fishtek Marine consultancy was researching ways to increase the catch of crab when he found that attaching lights to the pots attracted significantly more scallops. Five years on, the technology behind so-called ‘disco scallops’ is in use on fishing boats around the UK and abroad.

To learn more about how the potlights work and investigate the potential for commercial expansion, The Crown Estate is funding further research through our Offshore Wind Evidence and Change (OWEC) programme, which supports a range of projects to de-risk and accelerate the delivery of clean offshore technologies. The plan is to learn more about how they could help not just catch but conservation – by avoiding the need for dredging, which can be harmful to marine habitats.

“Scallop potting has a much lighter footprint and is naturally selective, helping to support a healthy marine environment,” says Dr Enever, Fishtek Marine’s Director of Science and Conservation. “We want to see it become a means by which inshore fishermen can diversify and support their incomes, especially through the winter when crab and lobster catches decline.”

For the OWEC research project, 12 fishermen in the North Sea are sharing data on their catches, with four operating close to wind farms such as Westermost Rough and Dogger Bank. “Co-location of fisheries’ activities around wind farms is a potential win-win, ensuring that fishers are not excluded from wind farms,” says Dr Enever.

According to Fishtek Marine, about 80 UK vessels are already using the potlights and they have also been shipped to Denmark, Norway and the United States. The chef and restaurateur Mitch Tonks has put disco scallops on the menu of his Rockfish group, and the innovation has been highlighted in national media.

We are proud to be supporting the initiative, which aligns with our strategy to create value for nature and people. Disco scallops have shone a light on a future where marine conservation and commercial fishing can coexist.