Minimum Sizes

Recreational Bass Measures 2024

  • 1st to 31st January – Two size bass (42cm or over) per fisher per day
  • 1st February to 31st March – Catch and release only
  • 1st April to 31st December – Two size bass (42cm or over) per fisher per day

No bass can be taken by fixed nets.

Handling Bass: Bass must be handled carefully to ensure a high survival rate of released fish. Anglers are advised to carry forceps or long-nosed pliers to assist removal of hooks and to support fish in the water until they are able to swim off.


Minimum sizes that apply in the NWIFCA district

The below apply to all fishers in the NWIFCA district.

Please note this does not apply to species that are subject to landing obligation.

Minimum sizes are split into two schedules according to NWIFCA Byelaw 1 

Schedule 1

Schedule 1 applies to all persons fishing in the district.

Fish Species

SpeciesMinimum Conservation Reference Size
Black seabream (Spondyliosoma cantharus)230mm
Brill (Scophthalmus rhombus)300mm
Conger eel (Conger conger)580mm
Dab (Limanda limanda)150mm
Flounder (Platichthys flesus)250mm
Thick-lip grey mullet (Chelon labrosus)200mm
Lemon sole (Microstomus kitt)250mm
Red mullet (Mullus surmuletus)150mm
Any skate or ray450mm between wing tips
Sole (Solea solea)240mm
Turbot (Psetta maxima)300mm
Witch (Glyptocephalus cynoglossus)280mm

Mollusc

Species Minimum Conservation Reference Size 
Winkle (Littorina littorea)Must not pass through a gauge having a
square aperture of 16mm on each side.

Schedule 2

Schedule 2 also applies to all persons fishing in the district’s waters, unless fishing under the authority of a fishing vessel licence issued by the Marine Management Organisation (MMO) or devolved UK fishery administration.

Fish Species

SpeciesMinimum Conservation Reference Size
Bass (Dicentrarchus labrax)420mm
Blue ling (Molva dypterygia)    700mm
Cod (Gadus morhua) 350mm
Haddock (Melanogrammus aeglefinus)   300mm
Hake (Merluccius merluccius)  270mm
Herring (Clupea harengus)   200mm
Horse mackerel (Trachurus trachurus)   150mm
Ling (Molva molva)  630mm
Mackerel (Scomber scombrus)   200mm
Megrim (Lepidorhombus spp.)  200mm
Plaice (Pleuronectes platessa)   270mm
Pollack (Pollachius pollachius)   300mm
Red seabream (Pagellus bogaraveo)330mm
Saithe (Pollachius virens)   350mm
Whiting (Merlangius merlangus)270mm

Mollusc

SpeciesMinimum Conservation Reference Size
Bean solen (Pharus legumen)  65mm
Carpet shell (Venerupis corrugata)38mm
Warty venus (Venus verrucosa)40mm
Donax clam (Donax spp.)25mm
Hard clam (Callista chione)60mm
Queen scallop (Aequipecten spp.)    40mm
Razor clam (Ensis spp.) 100mm
Scallop (Pecten maximus) 110mm
Short necked clam (Venerupis phillipinarum)    40mm
Surf clam (Spisula solida)25mm
Octopus (Octopus vulgaris)750g (weight)

Crustacea

SpeciesMinimum Conservation Reference Size
European lobster (Homarus gammarus) 87mm (carapace)
Crawfish (Palinurus spp.) 95mm (carapace)
Norway lobster (Nephrops norvegicus)   70mm (total length)
Edible crab (Cancer pagurus)130mm (carapace)

Minimum sizes that apply to the whole district

Cockles (Cerastoderma edule)Shall not pass through a square opening of 20mm
Mussels (Mytulis edulis)45mm*
Whelk (Buccinum undatum)65mm* when caught from pots

45mm*

*Longest part of the shell

If you are a commercially licensed vessel, please visit the MMO website for additional minimum landing sizes.