New controls for the fishing of whelks in Isle of Man waters will come into effect from mid August this year. The new controls will assist in ensuring that the Whelk fishery remains sustainable and the species are protected.
At present the controls are only enforced with three miles of the islands shore however the new measures will increase this boundary further and will include outside of this up to twelve miles.
The new controls will include the issuing of Whelk fishing licences, and restrictions on the number of Whelk pots allowed. Current controls in place were for the King Scallops, Queen Scallops, Lobster and Brown Crab but nothing has ever been imposed to control Whelk fishing until now.
All of these controls have been put in place as a result of industry and public consultation.
Nearly all of the Isle of Man’s Whelks are exported to Asia. In Japan, whelks are frequently used in sashimi and sushi. In Vietnam, they are served in a dish called Bún ốc – vermicelli with sea snails.
In Korea, whelks are served with chili sauce in a salad with cold noodles. It is called “”Gol Baeng-ee Mu-Chim”(골뱅이 무침). Koreans often eat it as a kind of side dish when they drink alcohol and it has been a very popular side dish with alcohol for many generations.