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Minimum size limits

DJDBazzer

DJDBazzer

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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?
 
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:
 
DJDBazzer said:
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?
Click to expand...
I am of the same impression as you and thought MLS applied to recreational anglers too?
 
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.
 
Trampster said:
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.
Click to expand...
Is a lot of shop bass not farmed stuff hence the smaller size?
 
Thrasher said:
Is a lot of shop bass not farmed stuff hence the smaller size?
Click to expand...
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.
 
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 said:
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
Click to expand...
So what about joeys for bait, legal or illegal.
 
Valleyboy said:
So what about joeys for bait, legal or illegal.
Click to expand...
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.
 
Timmy H said:
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.
Click to expand...
Seems odd that you can buy undersize macks for bait then unless they are bycatch
 
Valleyboy said:
Seems odd that you can buy undersize macks for bait then unless they are bycatch
Click to expand...
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 .
 
Had1 said:
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 .
Click to expand...

20cms down here.

1707060060994.png
 
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