NETTING IS ILLEGAL

EU confirms ruling on bass by-catch

Angling groups have welcomed clarification by the UK and Welsh Governments over the latest rules agreed in December by EU fisheries ministers covering the netting of bass stocks by commercial fishermen.

It was decided there would be no more targeted netting for bass in 2017, and that it would become a hook-and-line and recreational only species. In order to minimise discards, an allowance was made for "unavoidable by-catches of bass not exceeding 250kg per month".

Unfortunately, both the UK and Welsh administrations incorrectly publicly referred to the new rules as a reduced 'provision' for bass netting, rather than a 'by-catch' allowance.

Anglers were rightly concerned that this could have led to business as usual for netters and that bass stocks would gain little benefit from the changes.

The Angling Trust wrote to the EU Commission to clarify this point and has received confirmation that the 250kg for fixed gill nets is for unavoidable by-catches only.

The subsequent publication of Article 9 of the TAC and Quota regulations for 2017 by the Commission reaffirmed that targeted bass netting is now illegal.

Last month the Angling Trust wrote to fisheries ministers in London and Cardiff to ask that they publicly correct the misleading statements put out by both the UK and Welsh Governments following the Fishing Opportunities meeting in Brussels. Both Governments have conceded the point, and clarifications have been issued accepting that fixed netters cannot target bass and can only land bass if they were 'unavoidable by-catch'.