Fishing vessel weekly licences: changes effective 29 May 2026

All 10 metre and over groups & all under 10 metre groups  

AO, AU, AUP

5.29  For the purposes of the conditions below, the Celtic Sea Protection Zone shall mean ICES divisions 7f, 7g, that part of ICES division 7h which is north of latitude 49° 30 N and that part of ICES division 7j which is north of latitude 49° 30 N and east of longitude 11° W.

5.29.1  Where the vessel fishes using bottom otter trawls or bottom seines (OTB, OTT, OTP, OT, PTB, PT, SSC, SDN, SPR, SX, SV, TBN, TBS, TB, TX) in those parts of British fishery limits which fall within the Celtic Sea Protection Zone it must use either:

a) a codend with minimum 120mm mesh size;

b) a codend with minimum 110 mm mesh size and fitted with a square mesh panel with 120 mm minimum mesh size.

5.29.2  Where the vessel fishes using otter trawls or bottom seines in those parts of British fishery limits which fall within ICES divisions 7e-j other than those referred to in condition 5.29.1 above, it must use a codend with minimum 100 mm mesh size, and when fishing west of longitude 5° W it must also use a square mesh panel with minimum 100 mm mesh size.

5.29.3  Where the vessel fishes using otter trawls or bottom seines in ICES divisions 7e-J it must use a codend that is constructed of a single twine of a maximum of 6 mm or a double twine of a maximum of 4mm.

5.29.4  Where the vessel fishes using otter trawls or bottom seine in ICES divisions 7e-j, other than when targeting nephrops, it must not use or carry on board a strengthening bag.

5.29.5  The obligation in condition 5.29.1 does not apply to a vessel which fishes using otter trawls or bottom seines in ICES division 7f within 12 nautical miles of the baseline from which the breadth of the territorial sea adjacent to the United Kingdom is measured, which must instead use a codend with minimum 100 mm mesh size and square mesh panel with minimum 100 mm mesh size.

5.29.6  The obligation in conditions 5.29.1 and 5.29.2 do not apply to a vessel whose catch comprises 30% or more of nephrops, which must instead use any one of the following gear configurations in (a)-(d):

1. A codend of at least 80mm mesh size fitted with a square mesh panel with no individual mesh of less than 300mm (for vessels in excess of 12 metres in length) or a 200 mm square mesh panel (for vessel below 12 metres in length);
2. Seltra panel (consists of a top panel of square mesh with no individual mesh of less than 300 mm, placed in a four-panel box section, in the straight section of a codend; is at least 3 metres long; is positioned no more than 4 metres from the codline; is the full width of the top sheet of the box section of the trawl (selvedge to selvedge));
3. Nordmøre sorting grid (selectivity device which consists of a rigid grid with a maximum bar spacing of 35 mm and is fitted with a square mesh panel of 120 mm mesh size, positioned between 9 to 12 metres from the codline);
4. Netgrid device (a selectivity device consisting of a four-panel section inserted into a two-panel trawl with an inclined sheet of diamond mesh netting with a mesh size of at least 200 mm leading to an escape hole in the top of the trawl).

5.29.7  The obligation in condition 5.29.1 does not apply to a vessel whose catch comprises more than 55% of anglerfish, hake and megrim combined, which must instead use a codend with minimum 100 mm mesh size and square mesh panel with minimum 100 mm mesh size.

5.29.8  The obligation in condition 5.29.1 does not apply to a vessel which fishes solely in ICES division 7f to the east of longitude 5° W west and whose combined amount of cod, haddock and saith does not exceed 10%, which may instead use a codend with minimum 80 mm mesh size and a square mess panel with minimum 120 mm mesh size..

5.29.9  The obligation in condition 5.29.1, condition 5.29.2 or condition 5.29.5 does not apply to a vessel which fishes West of longitude 5° West, in ICES divisions 7e, or in ICES division 7f within 12 nautical miles of the baseline from which the breadth of the territorial sea adjacent to the United Kingdom is measured, provided that the vessel instead uses a 100mm single twine codend with maximum 5mm twine thickness, derogating from the twine thickness requirements in 5.29.3.

5.29.10  By way of derogation to points 5.29.1, 5.29.2, 5.29.5, and 5.29.9 above, vessels of 12m or less and an engine power of 221kw or less fishing within 12nm of the United Kingdom in ICES area 7e east of 5 degrees west, may fish in accordance Regulation (EU) 2019/1241 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 20 June 2019 on the conservation of fisheries resources and the protection of marine ecosystems through technical measures.

5.29.11  Square mesh panels as referred to in this condition shall be placed into the top panel of the codend. The rearmost edge of the square mesh panel, which is the part closest to the codline, shall be no more than 9 metres from the codline.

00:01 hours on 1 June 2026