  We construct new class of regular soliton solutions of the gauged planar
Skyrme model on the target space $S^2$ with fractional topological charges in
the scalar sector. These field configurations represent Skyrmed vortices, they
have finite energy and carry topologically quantized magnetic flux $\Phi=2\pi
n$ where $n$ is an integer. Using a special version of the product ansatz as
guide, we obtain by numerical relaxation various multimeron solutions and
investigate the pattern of interaction between the fractionally charged
solitons. We show that, unlike the vortices in the Abelian Higgs model, the
gauged merons may combine short range repulsion and long range attraction.
Considering the strong gauge coupling limit we demonstrate that the topological
quantization of the magnetic flux is determined by the Poincar\'{e} index of
the planar components $\phi_\perp = \phi_1+i\phi_2$ of the Skyrme field.
