MMO  Update on fishing for sea bass in 2019

‘Revised rules relating to fishing for sea bass apply from midnight 31 January 2019.

Published 31 January 2019: Following the publication of the 2019 Total Allowable Catch Regulation in the official journal of the European Union, the revised rules relating to fishing for sea bass now apply. 

Commercial fishing for seabass

Commercial fishing vessels are prohibited from fishing for seabass in ICES divisions 4b and 4c, and in ICES subarea 7 during 01 February to 31 March 2019. Commercial fishing from the shore, within these areas, is prohibited for the entirety of 2019. Those commercial fishing vessels with authorisation to do so from the MMO may catch and retain bass during 1 April to 31 December 2019. The MMO will be writing to all fishing vessel owners who have a current authorisation to catch and retain bass and providing further guidance on our website soon. 

Recreational fishing for seabass

Recreational fisheries, including from shore, in ICES divisions 4b, 4c, 6a, 7a to 7k are limited to catch-and-release only during 01 February to 31 March and 1 November to 31 December 2019. From 1 April to 31 October 2019, not more than one seabass may be retained per fisherman per day. In recreational fisheries in ICES divisions 8a and 8b, a maximum of three seabass may be retained per fisherman per day. Click here to read more

Save our seabass The recreational fishers express their views:

Bass Fishing Regulations 2019

Bass Anglers’ Sportfishing Society has received a reply from Maja Kirchner, Head of the EU Commission’s Fisheries Management for Northern European Waters, explaining the background to the outcome of negotiations for managing the sea bass stock in 2019. She makes it absolutely clear that George Eustice, with support from the Netherlands, wants a limited targeted fishery for bass by fixed netters. He successfully blocked the EU proposal to impose a percentage of daily catch limit for fixed netters at the negotiations in December 2018. Click here to read more