Minimum size limits

[DJDBazzer]

Hi all.

I was always under the impression that it was a criminal offence to keep undersized fish, but a couple of websites suggest otherwise...

"In general, it is accepted that there are no minimum sizes for keeping fish for sea anglers, although this can only be tested in court. The EU publishes a list of minimum landing sizes for commercial fisheries that cover the main species of interest for this sector."

Don't get me wrong, I don't want to go and catch a bucket load of undersized bass, but the rare occasion I want to cook my catch, I don't necessarily want to keep a good size bass when I am only feeding myself, and I don't have a fridge to preserve whatever I don't eat.

Thoughts?

 

[DJDBazzer]

This....

Retaining undersized fish is a criminal offence in the UK, and any angler found in possession of undersized fish is liable to prosecution. Selected species that are commonly caught and retained by UK anglers have the following minimum size limits:

 

[Thrasher]

Hi all.

I was always under the impression that it was a criminal offence to keep undersized fish, but a couple of websites suggest otherwise...

"In general, it is accepted that there are no minimum sizes for keeping fish for sea anglers, although this can only be tested in court. The EU publishes a list of minimum landing sizes for commercial fisheries that cover the main species of interest for this sector."

Don't get me wrong, I don't want to go and catch a bucket load of undersized bass, but the rare occasion I want to cook my catch, I don't necessarily want to keep a good size bass when I am only feeding myself, and I don't have a fridge to preserve whatever I don't eat.

Thoughts?

I am of the same impression as you and thought MLS applied to recreational anglers too?

 

[Trampster]

A lot of the Minimum size limits for Fish are less than they ought to be. I've seen many good anglers saying as much.
MLS for Pollack is 30cm, and at that size, I've read they won't even have spawned once.
If I'm going to catch something for the table, I want it to be big enough to make a meal. Can't be doing with trying to fillet Goldfish!
As for storing fish, I Vacuum pack it & freeze it if I'm not going to eat it that day. Vacuum packing preserves meat & fish much better.

Having said all that, I often see Bass fillets in the shops landed by commercials, that could never have been 42cms when caught.
No idea how the commercials get away with it.

 

[Thrasher]

A lot of the Minimum size limits for Fish are less than they ought to be. I've seen many good anglers saying as much.
MLS for Pollack is 30cm, and at that size, I've read they won't even have spawned once.
If I'm going to catch something for the table, I want it to be big enough to make a meal. Can't be doing with trying to fillet Goldfish!
As for storing fish, I Vacuum pack it & freeze it if I'm not going to eat it that day. Vacuum packing preserves meat & fish much better.

Having said all that, I often see Bass fillets in the shops landed by commercials, that could never have been 42cms when caught.
No idea how the commercials get away with it.

Is a lot of shop bass not farmed stuff hence the smaller size?

 

[Trampster]

Is a lot of shop bass not farmed stuff hence the smaller size?

Not sure Thrash, but one would think that common sense and the MLS should still apply. Farmed or not, they should still be allowed to grow to a reasonable size.

 

[Valleyboy]

Is a lot of shop bass not farmed stuff hence the smaller size?

Bass and bream are mainly farmed. Turbo and halibut as well. I always thought minimum landing sizes were just suggestions

 

[Live in hope]

Prob get round it by the fact it’s farmed a lot of it comes from Egypt and the med so probably got different if any mls rules. But then find bass overrated rather a bream fillet

 

[Mushty]

Don’t IFCA police “illegal” angling?
I have been asked what was in the bucket a few times in the past…
There also this google result

“All anglers should be aware of the minimum sizes for fish species – it is an offence to take fish which are below the minimum size and anglers caught doing this can face prosecution.”

https://britishseafishing.co.uk › sea-...

https://www.google.com/url?q=https:...gQFnoECA0QBQ&usg=AOvVaw2vGRDIEcyqOjIglwtJEjz2​

Is this applicable?


Feedback

 

[Valleyboy]

Don’t IFCA police “illegal” angling?
I have been asked what was in the bucket a few times in the past…
There also this google result

“All anglers should be aware of the minimum sizes for fish species – it is an offence to take fish which are below the minimum size and anglers caught doing this can face prosecution.”
View attachment 58720
https://britishseafishing.co.uk › sea-...

https://www.google.com/url?q=https://britishseafishing.co.uk/sea-fishing-anglers-rights-and-the-magna-carta/#:~:text=All%20anglers%20should%20be%20aware,doing%20this%20can%20face%20prosecution.&sa=U&ved=2ahUKEwik0ZO8xZGEAxVvS0EAHWzPDegQFnoECA0QBQ&usg=AOvVaw2vGRDIEcyqOjIglwtJEjz2​

Is this applicable?


Feedback

So what about joeys for bait, legal or illegal.

 

[Mushty]

So what about joeys for bait, legal or illegal.

I dunno, just saying

 

[Thrasher]

So what about joeys for bait, legal or illegal.

They come from elsewhere I think, the med?

 

[Valleyboy]

They come from elsewhere I think, the med?

Not as far as I'm aware. The ammo ones were local, I assume they still are. The med is most likely too warm for N'Atlantic macks

 

[Timmy H]

So what about joeys for bait, legal or illegal.

Read this elsewhere.

Live Baiting isn't Illegal. However, what is Illegal, is retaining undersize fish on the boat wether you are using them for Bait or not. In the case of Mackerel, if your caught with them on the boat, even in a Livebait Tank and they are under 30cm, you are liable to be prosecuted.

 

[Valleyboy]

Read this elsewhere.

Live Baiting isn't Illegal. However, what is Illegal, is retaining undersize fish on the boat wether you are using them for Bait or not. In the case of Mackerel, if your caught with them on the boat, even in a Livebait Tank and they are under 30cm, you are liable to be prosecuted.

Seems odd that you can buy undersize macks for bait then unless they are bycatch

 

[Timmy H]

Seems odd that you can buy undersize macks for bait then unless they are bycatch

I suspect its one of those rules that everyone ignores, I doubt if anyone has ever been picked up on undersize mackerel.

 

[Had1]

Seems odd that you can buy undersize macks for bait then unless they are bycatch

More confusion but I'm sure round Devon way into Ireland they can keep any size mackeral where as its 27 or 30cm in the South and East coasts .

 

[JLD]

Maybe undersized mackie is caught beyond territorial waters?

 

[Valleyboy]

More confusion but I'm sure round Devon way into Ireland they can keep any size mackeral where as its 27 or 30cm in the South and East coasts .

No mls for mullet either

 

[Trampster]

More confusion but I'm sure round Devon way into Ireland they can keep any size mackeral where as its 27 or 30cm in the South and East coasts .

20cms down here.