Laws on the harvesting of seafood

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Laws on the harvesting of seafood - Please be aware

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Northern Boy

Joined: 04 Oct 2010
Posts: 976

Posted: Tue Jun 07, 11 6:45 pm Post subject: Laws on the harvesting of seafood - Please be aware

It's a good idea for new (all) fisherfolk to possess a good knowledge of their local byelaws regarding the harvesting of seafood. There are often many byelaws in a particular area and they include such things as minimum landing sizes for certain fish species and invertebrates, closed areas, seasons, netting restrictions etc etc.

It's also a good idea for anyone who has doubts about the legality of a posted catch to be aware that the byelaws differ around the country and so what is legal in one area may be different in another. Most people do not take kindly to being accused of poaching so please think before making accusations.

Here are some links. The 'byelaws' section is usually where the rules can be found Please feel free to add if I have missed any and perhaps this could be a sticky?

Please note also that it is the responsibility of the person harvesting the seafood to know the rules - ignorance is not really an excuse (and nor is saying "Northern Boy posted the wrong info on Downsizer"!).

South and West Wales; https://www.swsfc.org.uk/
North West and North Wales; https://www.nwnwsfc.org/page/home.htm
Cornwall; https://www.cornwall.gov.uk/default.aspx?page=7072
South of England (Hants and Dorset and IOW); https://www.southern-ifca.gov.uk/
Northumberland; https://www.nifca.gov.uk/
North East England (Sunderland - Grimsby); https://www.neseafish.gov.uk/
Devon and Severn; https://www.devonandsevernifca.gov.uk/
Eastern England; https://www.eastern-ifca.gov.uk/
Cumbria; https://www.cumbriasfc.org.uk/ContentDetails.aspx
Scilly Isles; https://www.scilly.gov.uk/environment/fisheries
Sussex; https://www.sussex-ifca.gov.uk/
Kent and Essex; https://www.kentandessex-ifca.gov.uk/

Treacodactyl
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 25795
Location: Jumping on the bandwagon of opportunism

Posted: Tue Jun 07, 11 7:44 pm Post subject:
Thanks for that. There does seem to be quite a variance from area to area as to how much information is supplied. I assume the standard fish sizes from Defra in this PDF apply everywhere unless specifically overridden by a local by-law?

ninat

Joined: 01 Feb 2009
Posts: 606
Location: Scotland

Posted: Tue Jun 07, 11 8:16 pm Post subject:
anything on Scotland?

Northern Boy

Joined: 04 Oct 2010
Posts: 976

Posted: Tue Jun 07, 11 9:17 pm Post subject:

Treacodactyl wrote:

Thanks for that. There does seem to be quite a variance from area to area as to how much information is supplied.

I assume the standard fish sizes from Defra in this PDF apply everywhere unless specifically overridden by a local by-law?

Good question. It is my understanding that the sea fisheries committees (IFCA's in England now) are in charge of setting size limits and that they have been given this power by (and in fact are part of) DEFRA. Perhaps the .pdf is old? I don't know!

ninat wrote:

anything on Scotland?

I have no idea. I'm sorry.

I am not an expert on this, but where I am (S. Wales) everyone follows the local guidance as far as I know. Hopefully others with more knowledge will chime in and what's eventually left as a sticky will be fully comprehensive.

gil
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 08 Jun 2005
Posts: 18415

Posted: Tue Jun 07, 11 10:31 pm Post subject:

ninat wrote:

anything on Scotland?

I expect it might be somewhere on the SEERAD website.

dpack

Joined: 02 Jul 2005
Posts: 46192
Location: yes

Posted: Wed Jun 08, 11 1:58 pm Post subject:
no minimum size on sealice

Treacodactyl
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 25795
Location: Jumping on the bandwagon of opportunism

Posted: Wed Jun 08, 11 7:03 pm Post subject:

Northern Boy wrote:

Treacodactyl wrote:

I'm sure the PDF is current as it's on the DEFRA site. I asked because the Devon IFCA doesn't seem to have any fish sizes listed so I was looking elsewhere for them.

Treacodactyl
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 25795
Location: Jumping on the bandwagon of opportunism

Posted: Sun Sep 16, 12 3:25 pm Post subject:
Has anyone ever contacted their local IFCA? I need clarification on a local byelaw and will email my local one and I'm wondering if they are likely to respond to a non-professional fisherman.

Treacodactyl
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 25795
Location: Jumping on the bandwagon of opportunism

Posted: Fri Sep 21, 12 2:43 pm Post subject:
To answer my own question, yes they do. They took a few days to respond but they answered my questions, were quite helpful and they even offered extra advice; they seemed more than happy to talk to a "hobby fisherman".

sean
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 42219
Location: North Devon

Posted: Fri Sep 21, 12 2:48 pm Post subject:
Good Oh.

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