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Minimum size regulations are simple and effective method for managing fishing sustainably, both in the commercial and recreational sectors. These regulations aim to prevent the removal of juvenile fish from the stock, meaning there will be a greater likelihood that they will reach maturity and reproduce, thus increasing population size.
There are two main types of legislation which set minimum sizes in the UK:
1. Statutory legislation: these regulations set minimum sizes for the whole country and will therefore include species that are found less commonly in Kent and Essex waters. See a list of links to relevant national legislation below.
· Regulation (EU) 2019/1241: statutory minimum sizes for North Sea (Annex V) and North-western Waters (Annex VI) www.legislation.gov.uk/eur/2019/1241
· Regulation (EU) 2017/2107: minimum size for North Atlantic swordfish www.legislation.gov.uk/eur/2017/2107/article/19
· Regulation (EU) 2016/1627: minimum size for Bluefin Tuna https://www.gov.uk/guidance/bluefin-tuna-in-the-uk
· The Undersized Edible Crabs Order 2000: www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2000/2029/schedule/2/made
· The Undersized Spider Crabs Order 2000 https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2000/1502/made
· The Undersized Velvet Crabs Order 1989 https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/1989/919/made
2. Local IFCA byelaws: these set minimum sizes specific to each IFCA district, and typically reflect the species that are more abundant in that area. Local minimum sizes may be more strict than national limits, and may differ in different parts of the country, so it is recommended to check the local IFCA website before fishing there.
For a list of local minimum sizes in Kent and Essex, see the list below.
MINIMUM SIZES BYELAW click here for a copy of the Byelaw The measurement of the size of a marine organism is specified within Schedule 2 of the Byelaw.
| Finfish | Minimum Landing Size | |
| BASS (Dicentrarchus labrax) | 42cm | |
| COD (Gadus morhua) | 35cm | |
| HADDOCK (Melanogrammus aeglefinus) | 30cm | |
| HERRING (Clupea harengus) | 20cm | |
| HORSE MACKEREL (Trachurus trachurus) | 15cm | |
| MACKEREL (North Sea) (Scomber scomber) | 30cm | |
| MACKEREL (Other Areas)(Scomber scomber) | 20cm | |
| SOLE (Solea spp.) | 24cm | |
| PLAICE (Pleuronectes platessa) | 27cm | |
| WHITING (Merlangius merlangius) | 27cm | |
| HAKE (Merluccius merluccius) | 27cm | |
| LING (Molva molva) | 63cm | |
| POLLACK (Pollachius pollachius) | 30cm | |
| SARDINE Sardina pilchardus) | 11cm | |
| Crustacea | ||
| EUROPEAN LOBSTER (Homarus gammarus) | 87 mm | |
| EDIBLE CRAB (Cancer pagurus) | ICES sub area IVc 130 mm ICS sub area VIId 140mm | |
| VELVET SWIMMING CRAB (Necora puber) | 65 mm | |
| SPIDER CRAB (Maja squinado) | 130 mm (males)120 mm (females) | |
| 120 mm (females) | ||
| Mollusc | ||
| QUEEN SCALLOP (Chlamys spp) | 40 mm | |
| SCALLOP (Pecten maximus) | 110 mm | |
| CARPETSHELL (Venerupis pullastra) | 38 mm | |
| WHELK (Buccinum undatum) | 45 mm | |
| RAZOR CLAM (Ensis spp) | 100 mm | |
| DONAX CLAMS (Donax spp.) | 25 mm | |
| HARD CLAM (Callista chione) | 60 mm | |
| SHORT-NECKED CLAM (Ruditapes phillipinnarum) | 35 mm | |
| GROOVED CARPETSHELL (Ruditapes decussatus) | 40 mm | |
| OCTOPUS (Octopus vulgaris) | 750g |
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