SAVE THE BREAM

Introduction of fishing ban and bag limit

Fishing has been banned for three months from part of the Sussex’s Kingmere reef in a bid to protect spawning black bream, with a bag limit of four fish a day in the other three zones of the famous fishery.

Legal requirements of the Kingmere Marine Conservation Zone state that any person is prohibited to fish in zone 1 within the north-east of the MCZ between April 1 and June 30; retain more than four bream a day (year round) in zones 2-4 and in zone 1 outside of the season (July 1 to March 31).

Other rules state no one must possess any parts of bream other than whole or gutted fish; retain any live bream in any container, keep net or receptacle; transfer any bream (dead or alive) between vessels; return any dead bream to the fishery; use any bream as bait; and for the vessel master to retain on a vessel a number of bream that is more than four times the number of persons fishing on the vessel. Full details can be found at www.sussex-ifca.gov.uk.

The Sussex Inshore Fisheries and Conservation Authority (IFCA) has brought in the rules for commercial and recreational fisheries. There are presently 50 MCZs around England, five of which are in the coastal waters of the Sussex IFCA District. These include Kingmere, Beachy Head West, Pagham Harbour, Utopia and part of the Offshore Overfalls site.

The voluntary Angling Code of Conduct for Kingmere MCZ is supported by the Angling Trust. These measures include:

During the black bream spawning season (April to June), consider practising and promoting catch and release, or retaining less than the four bream per person bag limit (zones 2-4).

Where retaining fish below the bag limit, select those showing signs of damage.

When fishing within Kingmere MCZ, adopt a 23cm Minimum Landing Size for black bream.

Adopt a maximum landing size of 40 cm, and take photographs rather than retain trophy fish. Use barbless or de-barbed hooks. Use landing nets to lift fish into boats; wet hands before handling fish carefully; unhook fish while in the landing net; if a photo is desired, support the fish while taking a photo and unhooking; if practising catch and release, quickly return fish to the water .

If retaining fish to eat, dispatch them quickly and cleanly. Return females in roe. Use methods that minimise damage to sensitive areas, consider drifting where practicable or, if necessary, use a lower impact anchor.