Minimum Conservation Reference Size Byelaw
A person must not take, retain on board, tranship, land, transport, store, sell, display or offer for sale from a fishery within the District, any fish or shellfish species specified in the schedules which measure less than the minimum conservation reference size specified in the schedule. Any such fish or shellfish must be returned to the sea immediately.
The Minimum Conservation Reference Sizes listed in the schedules of this Byelaw apply to all fishery participants , both recreational and commercial, and throughout the supply chain.
To view the MCRS Byelaw, click here . To read more about the MCRS Byelaw, please see our MCRS Byelaw FAQs here .
Vessels Used in Fishing for Sale
No person may use a vessel (other than an open/undecked vessel navigated by oars) to take fish for the purpose of sale, unless they have registered the vessel with the Committee within the previous 24 months. See more details here.
Vessels Used in Fishing
No person may use a vessel which exceeds 12m in length for fishing. Exceptions apply; view the byelaw here.
Bottom Towed Fishing Gear Byelaw 2016
No person shall use any Bottom Towed Fishing Gear within a prohibited area. View the closures and the full BTFG byelaw here.
Solent Dredge Permit Byelaw
A person must not use a dredge by means of a vessel within any Bivalve Management Area. This prohibition does not apply if the vessel is a Relevant Fishing Vessel and is authorised to use a dredge within a Bivalve Management Area in the Solent in accordance with a Category A or Category B permit and adheres to the relevant permit conditions. Click here to read the Solent Dredge Permit Byelaw.
Poole Harbour Dredge Permit Byelaw
No person shall use, retain on board, transport or store a dredge on board a vessel within Poole Harbour unless they have been issued a Poole Harbour Dredge Permit and are complying with all permit conditions. Please see the following links for more information:
Oysters Close Season Byelaw
No person shall take oysters from a fishery from 1 st March to 31 st October in any year, both days inclusive. Oyster cultivation exceptions apply; see full details here.
Temporary Closure of Shellfish Beds Byelaw
Where any shellfish bed is depleted and requires closure to recover, the Committee may establish a temporary shellfish bed closure, wherein no person may take shellfish from the defined shellfish bed. View the details here.
Fishing for Cockles
A person must not take from a fishery a cockle between 1st February and 30th April inclusive. A person must not remove a cockle from a fishery, unless complying with the gear restrictions and minimum size requirements. Click here for the details .
Fishing for Oysters, Mussels and Clams Byelaw
Oysters, Mussels and Clams may only be fished for by handpicking or dredging. View the details here.
Oyster Dredges Byelaw
When dredging for Oysters, a number of gear restrictions apply. View the details here.
Scallop Fishing Byelaw 2019
No person may fish for or take any scallop from a fishery before 0700 and after 1900 local time. This does not apply in The Solent, where a person must not fish for or take any scallop from any fishery on any day before 0600 local time or after 1800 local time. Gear restrictions also apply - view the full byelaw here .
Oysters
No person shall remove an oyster that will pass through a circular ring of 70mm diameter or any cultch for young Oysters to grow on. View further details of the byelaw here.
Mussels
No person shall remove from a fishery a mussel measuring less than 50mm in length. Mussel cultivation exceptions apply with permission from Southern IFCA; view the details here.
Prohibition of Berried Lobsters
No person shall remove from the fishery any berried (egg-bearing) lobsters. View full details here.
Redeposit of Shellfish
Any person who takes shellfish from a fishery within the Southern IFCA district where the removal or possession of it is prohibited, should return the shellfish to the fishery, as near as possible to the place it was taken. View the details here.
Fishing Under Mechanical Power Byelaw
No person shall use a trawl net between 1st May and 31st August in the specified area along Chesil Beach. View the prohibited area and details here.
