Marine Management Organisation
In response to reports released by the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES) and the Scientific, Technical and Economic Committee for Fisheries (STECF) advising on the rapid decline of bass stocks, the European Commission has been working with member states on a range of measures to reduce bass fishing mortality. On the 24 June 2015 the so-called third package of measures to address the stock decline includes the implementation of vessel catch limits for bass and a prohibition on retaining bass in the Celtic Sea came into force.
Vessel catch limits
From 1 July 2015, in the following areas a monthly catch limit will apply depending on the gear(s) a vessel uses:
- ICES divisions IVb, IVc, VIId, VIIe VIIf and VIIh
- waters within 12 nautical miles from baseline under the soverignity of the United Kingdom in ICES divisions VIIa and VIIg
The limits for each gear type are as in the table below:
| Gear category and code | Maximum catch of sea bass permitted per vessel per calendar month (in kg) |
|---|---|
| Mid water or pelagic trawls, including OTM and PTM | 1,500 |
| All types of demersal trawls including Danish / Scottish seines, including OTB, OTT, PTB, TBB, SSC, SDN, SPR, SV, SB, SX, TBN, TBS, TB | 1,800 |
| All GN, all drift net and fixed (trammel) net fisheries, including GTR, GNS, GND, FYK, FPN, FIX | 1,000 |
| All long lines or pole and line or rod and line fisheries, including LHP, LHM, LLD, LL, LTL, LX LLS | 1,300 |
| Purse seines, gear codes PS, LA | 3,000 |
The limits apply to all vessel lengths and apply to the combined catches from any of the relevant ICES areas during a calendar month. For vessels which use multiple gear types during a calendar month the lowest catch limit for any of those gears used will apply.
MMO will issue a variation to English fishing vessel licences to include the new catch limits in the annex. Licence holders and nominees must ensure that owners and masters are aware of the changes.
Prohibition in the Celtic and Irish Seas
The measures also prohibit vessels to retain on board, tranship, relocate or land sea bass caught in ICES divisions VIIb, VIIc, VIIj and VIIk, as well as in the waters of ICES divisions VIIa and VIIg that are outside 12 nautical miles of the United Kingdom.
References
Council Regulation (EU) 2015/104 as amended by Council Regulation (EU)2015/960.
If you have any queries please contact your local MMO office.