Got Fish Tonight

Sea fish size limit chart


03 December 2009 16:33



Sea anglers who take their catches home for the table must be aware of the legalities of removing fish from the sea - they have to adhere to specific laws whereby fish under a certain size cannot be taken.

follow the guidelines set out by the National Federation of Sea Anglers. Although not law per se their document and recommendations are far more sporting than those set out by governing bodies.

Take bass as an example. The law allows very small bass to be killed and taken, while the recommendations laid down by the NFSA state that the bass must be larger before it is taken.

So, to ensure you definitely follow the laws of this country, and also ensure you are more sporting when it comes to taking fish from the beach or boat, why not print out and follow the size guideline chart below...



SPECIE

MAFF (cm)

BOAT (cm)

SHORE (cm)

Bass

36

41

41

Bream

23

24

24

Brill

30

35

35

Bull Huss

58

58

Coalfish (Saith)

35

35

35

Cod

35

35

35

Conger Eel

28

120

91

Dab

23

20

20

LS Dogfish

46

38

Flounder

27

25

25

Garfish

38

38

Tub Gurnard

28

28

Haddock

30

35

30

Hake

27

30

30

John Dory

33

25

Ling

63

72

72

Mackerel

30

30

30

Megrim

20

25

25

Mullet

15

33

33

Plaice

27

28

28

Pollack

30

30

30

Pouting

25

18

Poor Cod

18

18

Rockling

18

18

Silver Eel

38

38

Spurdog

58

58

All Skates and Rays

41

41

Smoothhound

51

51

Sole

24

25

25

Scad

25

25

Trigger Fish

30

30

Turbot

30

41

35

Whiting

27

27

27

Witch

28

28

28

Ballan Wrasse

23

23

Unclassified

20

20





kg

kg

Halibut

10

3

Monkfish

7

7

Sharks

23

18

Tope

8

9

In accordance with Council Regulation (EU) 2016/72 Article 10 the following now applies to recreational fisheries.

“From 1 January to 30 June 2016 in recreational fisheries in ICES divisions IVb, IVc, VIIa and from VIId to VIIh, only catch-and-release fishing for sea bass, including from shore, shall be allowed. During this period, it shall be prohibited to retain on board, relocate, tranship or land sea bass caught in that area.”

“In recreational fisheries, including from shore, not more than one specimen of sea bass may be retained per fisherman per day during the following periods and in the following areas:

• from 1 July to 31 December 2016 in ICES divisions IVb, IVc, VIIa and from VIId to VIIh;
• from 1 January to 31 December 2016 in ICES divisions VIIj and VIIk.“

© European Union

For further information see here

Update: 1st September 2015

New restrictions on bass come into effect on 1st September 2015. This includes a new Minimum Conservation Reference Size (MCRS) of 42cm and a daily 3 fish bag limit per person for recreational anglers.

For further information please see

The following information is taken from Bass: nursery areas and other conservation measures published by MAFF, now Defra in 1990, with additional legislation introduced in 1999.

Minimum landing sizes
Any bass landed, stored, sold, displayed or offered for sale, and taken from the waters surrounding the United Kingdom, must be at least 36cm in length as measured from the tip of the snout to the end of the tail fin. Any bass retained on board a vessel or transhipped must also exceed 36cm. These provisions apply to both commercial fishermen and anglers. Any bass below 36cm must be returned immediately to the sea.

The minimum landing size of 36cm applies to all bass taken from regions 2 and 3 of [European] Community waters, stretching from north of the Shetlands to Gibraltar. This requirement forms part of the European Community’s technical measures for the conservation of fisheries resources (Council Regulation (EEC) No.3094/86 as amended by Council Regulation (EEC) No.4056/89). Note: higher size limits have been implemented locally by some Sea Fisheries Committees, for example 37.5cm in Cornwall.

I couldn't find anything that restricts any angler to only take one seafish, other than Bass, off the beach. There are restrictions if fishing in a Marine Conservation Zone and each one has it's different rules.

 

That's what I like about you, clueless.............you're an Optimist!!!

 

But the girlfriend might tell her