The UK Government, via DEFRA, lay down only certain Minimum
Landing Sizes (MLSs). However, with conservation in mind, the AT
provide Recommended Retention Size Limits (RRSLs) for the
majority of fish likely to be caught in UK waters. An RRSL is a
suggested size for a fish below which it should returned to the
sea. Should there be any dispute on the measurement of a fish,
the Match Organisers Master Measure will be the deciding
measure. All fish are to be measured from the tip of the snout
to the end of the tail fin, except Skates and Rays which are to
be measured wing tip to wing tip.
|
SPECIE
|
DEFRA
MLS's (cm)
|
BOAT
RRSL's (cm)
|
SHORE
RRSL's |
|
Bass
|
36 (note 4)
|
45
|
45
|
|
Bream
|
23 (note 3 & 4)
|
24
|
24
|
|
Brill
|
|
35
|
35
|
|
Bull Huss
|
|
58
|
58
|
|
Coalfish (Saith)
|
35
|
35
|
35
|
|
Cod
|
35
|
35
|
35
|
|
Conger Eel
|
58 (note 3)
|
120
|
91
|
|
Dab
|
23 (note 3)
|
20
|
20
|
|
LS Dogfish
|
|
46
|
38
|
|
Flounder
|
27(note 3)
|
25
|
25
|
|
Garfish
|
|
38
|
38
|
|
Tub Gunard
|
|
28
|
28
|
|
Haddock
|
30
|
35
|
30
|
|
Hake
|
27(note 4)
|
30
|
30
|
|
John Dory
|
|
33
|
25
|
|
Ling
|
63
|
72
|
72
|
|
Mackerel
|
30(note 1)
|
30
|
30
|
|
Megrim
|
20 (note 4)
|
25
|
25
|
|
Mullet
|
15 (note 3 & 4)
|
33
|
33
|
|
Plaice
|
27
|
28
|
28
|
|
Pollack
|
30
|
30
|
30
|
|
Pouting
|
|
25
|
18
|
|
Poor Cod
|
|
18
|
18
|
|
Rockling
|
|
18
|
18
|
|
Silver Eel
|
|
38
|
38
|
|
Spurdog
|
|
58
|
58
|
|
All Skates & Rays (note 2)
|
|
41
|
41
|
|
Smoothhound
|
|
51
|
51
|
|
Sole
|
24 (note 3 & 4)
|
25
|
25
|
|
Scad
|
|
25
|
25
|
|
Trigger Fish
|
|
30
|
30
|
|
Turbot
|
30 (note 3)
|
41
|
35
|
|
Whiting
|
27
|
27
|
27
|
|
Witch
|
28 (note 3)
|
28
|
28
|
|
Ballan Wrase
|
|
23
|
23
|
|
Unclasified
|
|
20
|
20
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
kg
|
kg
|
|
Halibut
|
|
10
|
3
|
|
Monkfish
|
|
7
|
7
|
|
Sharks
|
|
23
|
18
|
|
Tope
|
|
*
|
*
|
* Members should be aware that there is a
national restriction on landing tope caught whilst
fishing from a boat, which includes kayaks, by rod and
line. The fish so caught should be returned to the water as soon
as possible commensurate with any tagging and in all other cases
returned immediately
Local Sea Fisheries Committee Bylaws must be observed if
applicable.
Notes:
1. 30 cm in North Sea, 20 cm elsewhere.
2. Rays and Skate measured across the wings.
3. Southern Sea Fisheries impose the limits shown, note the
further classification: Black Bream 23 cms, Lemon Sole 25 cms,
Red Mullet 15 cms.
4. Cornwall Sea Fisheries impose the limits shown here
The
Angling Trust Website
|
