The statutory minimum sizes for finned fish and shellfish in force within the District are set out in the table below. These sizes are set in order to conserve fish stocks by protecting juvenile fish.
It is an offence for any person (whether an angler or a commercial fisherman) to take any fish that are smaller than the sizes given here. We can, and do, prosecute offenders. If you need guidance on how to measure fish, please contact us.
| Finfish Species | ||
| Scientific name | English | Minimum size (mm) |
| Conger conger | Conger eel | 580 |
| Chelon labrosus | Grey mullet | 200 |
| Clupea harengus | Herring | 200 |
| Dicentrachus labrax | Bass | 360 |
| Gadus morhua | Cod | 350 |
| Glyptocephalus cynoglossus | Witch flounder | 280 |
| Lepidorhombus spp. | Megrim | 200 |
| Limanda limanda | Dab | 150 |
| Melanogrammus aeolefinus | Haddock | 300 |
| Merlangius merlangus | Whiting | 270 |
| Merluccius merluccius | Hake | 270 |
| Microstomus kitt | Lemon sole | 250 |
| Molva dypterygia | Blue ling | 700 |
| Molva molva | Ling | 630 |
| Mullus surmuletus | Red mullet | 150 |
| Pagellus bogaraveo | Red seabream | 250 |
| Platichthys flesus | Flounder | 250 |
| Pleuronectes platessa | Plaice | 270 |
| Pollachius pollachius | Pollack | 300 |
| Pollachius virens | Saithe | 350 |
| Psetta maxima | Turbot | 300 |
| Sardinia pilchardus | Sardine | 110 |
| Scomber scombrus | Mackerel | 200 |
| Scophthalmus rhombus | Brill | 300 |
| Solea solea | Sole | 240 |
| Spondyliosoma cantharus | Black seabream | 230 |
| Thunnus thunnus | Blue fin tuna | 6.4kg or 700 |
| Trachurus trachurus | Horse mackerel | 150 |
| Xiphas gladius | Swordfish | 25kg or 1250mm spine |
| Shellfish species | ||
|
Scientific name |
English |
Minimum size (mm) |
|
Aequipecten opercularis |
Queen scallop |
40 |
|
Buccinum undatum |
Whelk |
45 |
|
Callista chione |
Hard clam |
60 |
|
Cancer pagurus |
Edible crab |
130 |
|
Cerastoderma edule |
Cockle |
Not to pass through a 20mm square |
|
Donax spp. |
Donax clam |
25 |
|
Ensis spp. |
Razor clam |
100 |
|
Homarus gammarus |
Lobster |
87 |
|
Liocarcinus puber |
Velvet crab |
65 |
|
Maia squinado |
Spider crab |
120 |
|
Mytilus edulis |
Mussel |
45 |
|
Nephrops norvegicus |
Nephrops |
70 total length or 20 carapace length |
|
Octopus vulgaris |
Octopus |
750g |
|
Palinurus spp. |
Crawfish |
95 |
|
Parapenaeus longirostris |
Deepwater rose shrimp |
22 |
|
Pecten maximus |
Scallop |
100 outside the 3 mile limit south of 52º30’N, 110 elsewhere |
|
Pharus legumen |
Bean solen |
65 |
|
Ruditapes decussates |
Grooved carpet shell |
40 |
|
Ruditapes phillipinarum |
Short necked clam |
40 |
|
Spisula solidissima |
Surf clam |
25 |
|
Venerupis pallustra |
Carpetshell |
38 |
|
Venus verrucosa |
Clam |
40 |