Apply for a Byelaw 7 Netting Permit
In anticipation of our new Byelaw 7 (Netting Permit Byelaw) being confirmed by the Secretary of State, NWIFCA have now launched the application process for all categories of permit to be issued under this Byelaw in the future.
If you fish with any form of fixed (static) nets within the NWIFCA district, you will need a permit to do so once Byelaw 7 is confirmed. This is regardless of whether you fish commercially or recreationally, or whether you fish from a vessel or from the shore (i.e. without a vessel) – all forms of fixed netting will required a permit.
The following permit categories and associated annual charges will apply:
| Category | Applies to | Annual Permit Charge |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Commercial vessel-set nets | £150 |
| 2 | Commercial shore-set nets | £50 |
| 3 | Recreational nets (vessel-set or shore-set) | £10 |
PLEASE NOTE this Byelaw is not yet live. The invitation to apply for a permit is pre-emptive and will allow fishers to indicate to NWIFCA that they wish to hold a permit to fish under the Byelaw once it is confirmed. We do not yet know when the Byelaw will be confirmed by Defra. You will not be charged for the permit until the Byelaw is confirmed.
There are no limits on the numbers of fishers who can hold a permit under any of the three categories, so if you apply for a permit you will receive one once the Byelaw is confirmed. However, the Authority can, and therefore may, restrict the number of permit holders at any time in the future, so if you do wish to be able to fish fixed nets in the district once Byelaw 7 is confirmed, you are strongly advised to apply sooner rather than later. Fishers can hold permits under more than one category.
However, there is a limit on the number of Bass Entitlements that can be issued under a Category 2 permit which would allow fishers to retain European seabass as a bycatch caught in their commercial shore-set nets. If you wish to apply for a Bass Entitlement to go with your Category 2 permit, please read the Bass Entitlement Guidance below carefully.
If you currently hold a permit to fish fixed nets under the current NWIFCA byelaws, you can continue to fish using this permit. However, once the new Byelaw 7 (Netting Permit Byelaw) is confirmed, your pre-existing permits will no longer be valid as these legacy byelaws will be revoked; you will need to have applied for a Byelaw 7 permit.
All applicants will be notified of any changes and updates to the Byelaw or application process. The application window for all three categories will remain permanently open, so you can apply at any time but as mentioned above, you are strongly advised to apply sooner rather than later, whilst there are no caps on the numbers of permits to be issued. For Bass Entitlements, the application window will need to be timebound, as we will need to close applications at some point in the future to allow the decision-making process to start. When the Bass Entitlement application window closes will depend on the number of applications we receive and the levels of interest, but the Authority will give one month’s notice to prospective applicants prior to closing the window. Applications received after this deadline will not be eligible to receive a Bass Entitlement when the Byelaw is confirmed, but would still be eligible to go on the Waiting List for one.
Byelaw 7 Application Forms
Category 1 – Commercial Vessel
Category 2 – Commercial Shore (including Bass Entitlement Application)
Category 3 – Recreational Vessel
Category 3 – Recreational Shore
If you have any queries about applying for a netting permit under our new Byelaw 7, please contact us.
Bass Entitlement Guidance
Under the new Byelaw 7, NWIFCA will be able to issue 26 entitlements under Category 2 permits to retain bass as a bycatch in one commercially-fished shore-set intertidal fixed net. Those wishing to apply for a Category 2 permit with a Bass Entitlement should complete the relevant sections of the Category 2 application form above.
Applications for a Bass Entitlement will be anonymised and considered by a small panel of Authority members.
Please read the Guidance Notes below as these explain how your application will be considered, how the Authority will decide which 26 applicants receive a Bass Entitlement, and how the associated Waiting List will be populated.
The Bass Entitlement application window is limited and will be closed at some point in the future. NWIFCA will communicate the exact closing date one month in advance of it.