The Inshore Potting Agreement (IPA) is a fishery management system that was
created in 1978 off the coast of south Devon, UK. The IPA was established after
fishers who used towed fishing gears encroached onto the traditional grounds of
fishers who used static fishing gears. Static gear loss or damage is almost inevitable when towed and static gears are fished in close proximity, and so an area of approximately 350 km² was designated for the use of static gear fishers only. An additional 150 km² area was designated for alternating use between static and towed gear fishers to allow individuals from both fishing sectors to target seasonally available resources.
Factors that facilitated the long history of cooperation between the fishing sectors
were studied. The seasonal and exclusive use zones of the IPA allowed a fisheryscale investigation to be conducted into the effects on benthic communities of towed gear use. The availability of recreational angling catch data over the period of the IPA's existence provided an opportunity to determine the effects on temperate fish populations of restricting towed gear use. Finally, the existence of the IPA allowed an investigation to be conducted into the potential economic value of marine protected areas in the south-west UK.
This study showed that the IPA has provided benefits to the marine environment and to fishery stakeholders of the south Devon area. Fishers have operated safely and equitably because of the IPA, the benthic community has benefited from restrictions on towed-gear fishing , and scallops and a number of targeted fish species appeared to have benefited significantly from the potential for greater reproductive output and longevity respectively. Additionally, this study showed that the IPA and similar systems may help to generate economic benefits for coastal economies by improving the angling value of targeted fish stocks.