Coronavirus: Isle of Man harbour restrictions on visiting scallop dredgers

Peel breakwater will be closed to the public throughout the period

Restrictions are to be put in place at Isle of Man harbours during the scallop fishing season to prevent the spread of coronavirus.

Under the new rules, visiting fishing boats will be confined to using designated areas at Peel and Douglas.

The island's border remains closed to non-residents.

Thirty-eight of the 79 boats licensed to fish in Manx waters come from Scotland and Northern Ireland.

The king scallop season runs between 1 November and 31 May

Under the changes, crews will be able to land their catches on a one-in, one-out basis but will only be able to step off their vessels to manage their boat lines.

Security will be in place at the ports between 1 November and 31 May, a government spokesman said.

Those breaking the rules could face a fine of up to £10,000 or three months in prison, he added.

Environment, Food and Agriculture Minister Geoffrey Boot said the new procedures were "designed to help fishermen and processors to do their job safely".

Manx vessels will also have access to harbours at Port St Mary and Ramsey during the period.

Daily catch limits for this year's season have been set at 700kg per day, up from 560kg last season.

About 300 people work in the island's seafood industry and the scallop fishery is worth £12m to the Manx economy annually.