Statutory guidance

Bass Fishing Guidance 2024

Updated 16 July 2024

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This publication is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/bass-industry-guidance-2023/bass-fishing-guidance-2023

1. Recreational bass fishing

Recreational fisheries, including from shore, in ICES divisions 4b, 4c, 6a, 7a to 7k are limited to catch-and-release using rod and handline only during 01 February to 31 March. The closed season for both commercial and recreational fishing is aligned to 1 February to 31 March for both sectors with two fish per day bag limits continuing to apply to recreational fishers outside February/March. In recreational fisheries in ICES divisions 8a and 8b, a maximum of two bass may be retained per recreational fisher per day throughout the year.

The catch and release periods are not the same as for bass nursery areas. Please see https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/1999/75/made for information on bass nursery areas. In any case, the February and March mandatory Catch and Release period still applies in bass nursery areas.

The MMO recommends that you also contact your local IFCA

The minimum size of European seabass is 42 cm. All specimens below this size must be released.

No bass can be taken by fixed or drift nets.

These rules apply if you are fishing from a boat or from the shore.

2. Commercial bass fishing

The catch, retention, transhipment and landing of bass is subject to restrictions. Those restrictions relate to:

2.1 Authorisations

Under The Sea Fisheries (Amendment) (No. 2) Regulations 2021 (legislation.gov.uk) all commercial fishing vessels are now authorised to land bass bycatch by demersal trawls and seines and no written authorisation is required.

It is important to note that bass caught using trawls and seines remain subject to a 5% by weight of all marine organisms per trip. The Sea Fisheries (Amendment) Regulations 2023 sets an unavoidable by-catch limit of 3.8 tonnes (3800kg) per vessel per year.

For clarification, ring nets are not included in the trawls and seines category. Bass landings are prohibited by vessels using ring nets.

If you want to catch and retain bass by other gears you must have a written authorisation from the MMO to do so. Commercial fishermen will be authorised to catch and retain bass with certain gears. Authorisations are issued to vessels with a track record of landing bass during the reference period of 1 July 2015 to 30 September 2016 subject to any successful transfer requests.

Once you have been issued an authorisation you will be authorised to catch and retain bass with the gear types listed on your authorisation, subject to the specific limitations for each gear.

2.2 When and where you can catch bass

You must not catch, retain, tranship or land bass caught from a vessel or the shore from the following ‘prohibited’ areas:

Sea area International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES) division
South West Approaches ICES 7b, 7c, 7j and 7k
Irish or Celtic Sea Outside the 12 nautical mile limit of UK waters in ICES 7g and 7a

During January and from 1 April until 31 December the catch, retention, transhipment and landing of bass in the restricted areas below, is only permitted if you have an authorisation from the MMO to do so. Fishing for bass in any restricted area is prohibited during February and March.

Sea area International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES) division
North Sea 4b, 4c
Channel 7d, 7e
Celtic Sea 7f, 7g*
Irish Sea 7a*
South West Approaches 7h

(*Inside UK 12nm limit only)

2.3 How you can fish when operating in a restricted area

Subject to having an authorisation issued by your fisheries administration you are permitted to catch and retain bass with the following gears:

  • fixed gillnets

  • hooks and lines

As stated above all commercial fishing vessels are now already authorised to land bass caught by demersal trawls and seines and no written authorisation is required.

You are not allowed to catch and retain bass with any other gears, including pelagic trawls, ring nets and nets that drift with the current or are capable of doing so.

You cannot catch, retain, tranship or land bass if you have not been issued an authorisation from the MMO.

2.4 Fixed gillnets

Fixed gillnets are considered by the MMO as falling within the definition of ‘static nets’ in article 6(23) of Regulation (EU) 2019/1241 of the European Parliament and of the Council as being “any type of gillnet…that is anchored to the seabed for fish to swim into and become entangled or enmeshed in the netting”.

Fixed nets are defined as being fixed to the bottom of the sea in a permanent position by any method such as weights, anchors or stakes and it must be set so as not to be able to drift or move with any current.

Where a net is out of the water (i.e. on a fishing vessel) it must be immediately capable of being fixed to the bottom of the sea by any method such as weights, anchors or stakes either attached to the net or capable of being attached immediately prior to the net being deployed. In the absence of adequate means of fixing the net to the bottom of the sea being present the net will not be considered to be a fixed net.

For the avoidance of doubt, anchors, weights or other items attached to the net which do not fix it to the bottom of the sea or prevent it from drifting (regardless of the state of the current), will not be considered sufficient to consider the net as a fixed net.

A 100mm minimum mesh size is in place for those catching bass using fixed gillnets, under Regulation (EU) 2019/1241 of the European Parliament and of the Council.

3. Commercial shore fishing for bass

Commercial fisheries from the shore are strictly prohibited unless explicitly authorised by a relevant Inshore Fisheries and Conservation Authority (IFCA) in England or the Welsh Government in Wales. Authorisations may be permitted in four districts up to the following limits:

  • 26 nets in the NWIFCA district
  • 5 nets in the NEIFCA district
  • 1 net in the D&SIFCA district
  • 50 nets in the Welsh zone.

3.1 No other commercial bass fishing from shore is permitted with any gear.

For further information please see The Sea Fisheries (Amendment) Regulations 2021, The Sea Fisheries (Amendment) (No. 2) Regulations 2021 and The Sea Fisheries (Amendment) Regulations 2023.

3.2 Use of multiple gears

A UK fishing vessel may only carry one authorised fishing gear on a fishing trip when retaining bass on board. This applies to hook and line, fixed gillnets, and demersal trawls and seines.

3.3 How much can be retained?

You can only retain and land bass subject to the limits below. Catch limits are not transferable between vessels.

  Demersal Trawls and Seines Hooks and Lines Fixed Gillnets Nets All other gears (including drift nets)
Fishery Restrictions Closed February and March Closed February and March Closed February and March All bass catches prohibited
Maximum catch limit Maximum 5% by weight of all marine organisms PER TRIP. Unavoidable by-catch 3.8 tonnes (3800kg) per vessel per year 6.2 tonnes per year By-catch of 1.6 tonnes per year All bass catches prohibited

For clarification a year means a calendar year.

3.4 Landing Obligation

The landing obligation does not apply to sea bass. Therefore any catches with unauthorised gears and catches with authorised gears over the authorized limit must be discarded.

During February and March all bass fishing is prohibited and bass catches must be returned to the sea. Fishers should take all reasonable measures to avoid and minimise bass discards.

3.5 Vessel Replacement and transfer of authorisation

If you are replacing a vessel that has a bass authorisation a transfer of authorisation will be considered providing the replacement vessel is no larger in engine size and tonnage. Vessels with a single hull of 8 metre or under in overall length are exempt from the increase in engine size and tonnage rules. It is the responsibility of any vessel owner to seek relevant approvals from the MMO prior to making a commitment to purchase a new fishing vessel, where they are wanting to transfer any existing authorisation.

For clarification a replacement vessel is a fishing vessel new to you (new build or newly purchased) to which you wish to transfer your existing bass authorisation from a vessel already issued with a bass authorisation in your name.

No transfer of a bass authorisation will be processed until the new vessel has been registered and licensed.

MMO recommend that you confirm that the vessel has any authorisations you require before finalising your purchase’

Transfers between two vessels already in your ownership will also be considered subject to capacity limitations.

Owners intending to sell vessels being replaced should also make the purchaser aware that the vessel being sold will lose its authorisation to catch bass once the transfer is completed (written evidence from the purchaser to confirm their understanding may be required).

Where a vessel is lost at sea and/or is damaged beyond repair a transfer of authorisation will be considered providing the replacement vessel is no larger in engine size and tonnage. Individuals wishing to transfer an existing authorisation to a new/replacement vessel should contact bass@marinemanagement.org.uk as soon as practicable, providing evidence that their circumstances meets the above mentioned criteria.

Authorisations will transfer to a new owner of the vessel when the ownership of the vessel is transferred. The current catch uptake by that vessel will also be transferred – i.e. the catch limits will not be reset. For example, if a vessel has used all of its hooks & line annual catch limit then the new owner of the vessel will not be permitted to catch and retain further bass using hooks and lines during that year.

Bass authorisations never transfer with the licence.

4. Chartered angling vessels

If you have a licensed fishing vessel and have been issued an authorisation you can catch and retain bass in accordance with that authorisation, your fishing licence and this guidance. Within ICES divisions 4b, 4c, 6a, 7a to 7k from 1 January to 31 January and 1 April to 31 December if you do not have a licensed fishing vessel, no more than two specimen of European seabass may be retained and landed per recreational fisherman per day in the restricted area.

If you have a fishing vessel with a licence but without a bass authorisation you could still take recreational fishermen out to fish for bass. From 1 January to 31 January and 1 April to 31 December no more than two specimen of European seabass may be retained and landed per recreational fisherman per day in the restricted area. However, no bass may be sold in relation to any recreational fishing.

In ICES divisions 8a and 8b, a maximum of two seabass may be retained per recreational fisherman per day. Recreational bass restrictions include fishing activity from a vessel and the shore.

5. Minimum Conservation Reference Size (MCRS)

The MCRS (‘minimum size’) for bass is 42cm.

You must not retain on board any specimens below the MCRS, but must return them immediately to the sea. Any specimens below the MCRS found stored, transported or offered for sale may be seized by officers to allow investigation into the source.

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