Assessment of the whelk ( Buccinum undatum L.) population around the Island of Jersey, Channel Isles

A fishery previously unexploited by Jersey fisherman was established in 1996 for the whelk, Buccinum undatum, primarily fuelled by the development of markets in the Far East, predominately Korea. Given certain biological characteristics making this species susceptible to over-fishing and subsequent localised extinction, a study was undertaken. Ten sampling stations were selected and assessed as fished or non-fished with respect to whelks. In general, catches were good (average 3.3 kg per pot) which is comparable with or superior to stock assessments undertaken in other locations. However, there was a significant difference between the CPUE of the fished and non-fished stations. There was also a positive correlation between commercial landings and CPUE at the fished stations. An increase in effort for the whelk may necessitate the consideration of further management to ensure the sustainability of the stock.