Wrasse Code of Practice

In order to maintain a sustainable population of wrasse, a number of voluntary measures should be followed by any person commercially fishing for wrasse. These include no take zones, maximum conservation reference sizes, closed seasons and fishing effort guidance. See the Wrasse Code of Practice and the Code of Practice Map.

Please note:  The Wrasse  Minimum  Conservation Reference Sizes which previously applied to Wrasse species under the Wrasse Guidance are now covered under the Southern IFCA Byelaw and therefore enforceable by law to any  person, both recreational and commercial. To see the Minimum Conservation Reference Size Byelaw and the MCRS for Wrasse species, please  click here . 

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.

Foul Hooking Byelaw

No person shall use any device for the purpose of foul hooking any Mullet or Bass. View the details here.

Regulation 2019/1241  specifies the Technical Conservation Measures that Union fishing vessels must follow. Please click here to view Article 13 of 2019/1241 , which details the Minimum Conservation Reference Sizes (MCRS) of marine species that apply to commercial fishing vessels.

To view all the minimum sizes that apply within the Southern IFCA District, including those detailed in the above Byelaws and Council Regulation (EU) 2019/1241, please download our Southern IFCA Wheelhouse Card or view all our Minimum Sizes Regulations here. 

The Bass (Specified Areas) (Prohibition of Fishing) (& Variation) Order 1990 (Bass Nursery Areas)

It is prohibited to fish for bass, or fish for any species of sea-fish using sand-eels as bait, by any fishing boat within any areas as defined by the Bass Order 1990. See the full details of the prohibitions here.

Council Regulation (EU) 2020/123 & Amendments

Article 10 of  Council Regulation (EU) 2020/123 ,  The Sea Fisheries (Amendment etc.) Regulations 2021  and  The Sea Fisheries (Amendment etc.) (No. 2) Regulations 2021  detail the restrictions for catching European Seabass for both Commercial and Recreational fisheries. 

View all the regulations that apply to Bass fishing on our Bass Regulations page here.