Minimum Landing Sizes

The EU has strict laws governing fish sizes. They won't mess about if you get caught with an undersized fish, big fine and confiscation of equipment, that could mean your boat too.

European Fishery MLS - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

You can't fish for Salmon & Sea Trout without a migratory fish licence, if you don't have this and you catch one, you must return it.

 

The Environment Agency also has laws governing which fish can be taken from freshwaters.

Environment Agency - Fish removal by rod and line

Note the ban on taking Eels, which only came into force recently.

 

Oh sorry ziggy,

Thought this was a thread about stair regulations,

 

Sorry I dont fish.

 

Thats ok, Charlie don't surf.

 

I notice in the article the common red crab isn't listed.

I don't know if its the law everywhere in Britain, or just a local by law, but round here, if you catch one that is less than 4 and half inches across the widest point of its lid, you have to let it go.

Mind, that law pre-dates the EU, so it might have changed by now. When I was a kid my dad and I would regularly go onto the rocks armed with hooks on sticks and a few carrier bags, and return with a couple of meals worth of crabs. I've been meaning to have a go again since I moved back, but just haven't got round to it yet. Things might have changed by now, but it used to be a guaranteed meal for free. You walk along the rocks to the bit where the tourists daren't go, the bit where if you haven't checked the tide times you're doomed. You look in a hole in the rocks, see a pair of beady eyes looking back at you. Stick your stick with a hook on in, and out comes dinner.

 

The Edible Crab has to be more than 120mm across the Carapace, its probably not on the list due to regional variations, local fisheries have different rules so its best to check at the local fishing harbour, there is usually a notice up about it.

A Portland mason friend of mine used to go crabbing under the ledges at low tide with his mate, untill his mate went on his own one day.

He'd tried to pull a crab out with his hand, the crab arched his back & trapped his hand against the roof of the ledge.

Then the tide came back in. They found his body the next day, crab still holding tight.