Minimum legal sizes
ALL FISH BELOW THESE SIZES MUST BE RETURNED IMMEDIATELY TO THE SEA
Council Regulation (EEC) 850/98, Statutory Instruments
* Kent and Essex Sea Fisheries Committee Byelaws
Click here for a guide to where the measurement is taken. Unless specified all measurements apply to the dimension of length. Additional information regarding the method of measurement for fish, crustacea and molluscs should be referred to if necessary.
Finfish
|
|
| BASS |
36 cm |
| COD |
35 cm |
| HADDOCK |
30 cm |
| HERRING |
20 cm |
| HORSE MACKEREL |
15 cm |
| MACKEREL (North Sea) |
30 cm |
| MACKEREL (Other Areas) |
20 cm |
| SOLE |
24 cm |
| PLAICE |
27 cm |
| WHITING |
27 cm |
| GREY MULLET* |
30 cm |
| SKATES & RAYS (Wing tip to wing tip) |
40 cm |
| SKATES & RAYS (Detached wings) |
19 cm |
| |
|
| Crustacea |
|
|
| LOBSTER (Homarus gammarus) |
87 mm |
carapace length |
| EDIBLE CRAB (Cancer pagurus) |
130 mm |
carapace width |
| VELVET CRAB (Necora puber) |
65 mm |
carapace width |
| SPIDER CRAB (Maia squinado) |
130 mm (males)
120 mm (females)
|
carapace length
carapace length
|
| CRAWFISH (Palinurus spp.) |
95 mm |
carapace length |
| |
|
|
| Molluscs |
|
|
| QUEEN SCALLOP (Chlamys spp) |
40 mm |
shell width |
| KING SCALLOP (Pecten maximus) (Area VIId) |
110 mm |
shell width |
| KING SCALLOP (Pecten maximus)* |
110 mm |
shell width |
| WHELK (Buccinum undatum) |
45 mm |
shell length |
| RAZOR CLAM (Ensis spp) |
10 cm |
shell length |
| OYSTER (native) (Ostrea edulis)* |
7 cm |
ring size (see below) |
| COCKLE (Cerastoderma edule) |
16 mm |
shell width |
| |
|
|
The shell must be unable to pass through a circular ring with a 70 mm internal diameter
Minimum sizes for less common species are as follows (cm):-
Anchovy 12, Bluefin Tuna 6.4kg, Blue Ling 70, Hake 27, Ling 63, Megrim 20, Octopus 0.75kg, Pollack 30, Saith 35, Sardine 11, Swordfish 25kg/125cm, Clam 4, Donax Clams 2.5, Hard Clam 5, Short necked Clam 4, Surf Clam 2.5, Carpetshell 4, Grooved Carpetshell 4, Norway Lobster 8.5/2.5/4.6, Crawfish 11
Undersized marine organisms shall not be retained on board or be transhipped, landed, transported, stored, sold, displayed or offered for sale, but shall be returned immediately into the sea.
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