The Scallop Fishing (Wales) Order 2005

Specification of scallop dredges

5.—(1) No British fishing boat is permitted to carry or tow a scallop dredge within Welsh waters unless in relation to such a dredge —

(a) its frame is less than or equal to 85 centimetres in width in any part;

(b) it includes a functioning, operational and moveable spring loaded tooth bar;

(c) it does not contain any attachments to the rear, top or inside of the dredge;

(d) it does not contain a diving plate or any other similar device; and

(e) the total weight of the dredge including all fittings does not exceed 150 kilogrammes.

(2) No British fishing boat is permitted to carry or tow a scallop dredge within Welsh waters unless —

(a) where the dredge measures 80 centimetres or more in breadth —

(i) the number of rows of belly rings hanging from the belly bar does not exceed 8 across;

(ii) where all of the teeth measure 12 millimetres or less, the number of teeth on the tooth bar does not exceed 9;

(iii) where any of the teeth measure more than 12 millimetres, the number of teeth on the tooth bar does not exceed 8;

(b) where the dredge measures less than 80 centimetres in breadth —

(i) the number of rows of belly rings hanging from the belly bar does not exceed 6; and

(ii) the number of teeth on the tooth bar does not exceed 6;

(c) it has no more than 1 row of belly rings hanging from either side of the dredge perpendicular to the rings which hang from the belly bar; and

(d) each tooth on the tooth bar measures no more than —

(i) 22 millimetres where the dredge measures 80 centimetres or more in breadth; or

(ii) 12 millimetres where the dredge measures less than 80 centimetres in breadth.

(3) In this article —

(a) a row of belly rings is a line of single interconnecting rings, where the ring at one end of the line hangs either from the belly bar or from the main structure of the dredge perpendicular to the belly bar;

(b) a belly bar is the bar attached to the frame of the dredge which runs parallel to the tooth bar and from which the belly rings hang;

(c) a tooth bar is the bar to which are attached teeth, the ends of which point downwards and which are intended to be in contact with the sea bed when the dredge is in operation;

(d) the size of a tooth is its maximum width measured in the direction of the line of the tooth bar.

(4) Belly rings and the fastenings which attach them to each other and to the frame are not to be regarded as attachments for the purpose of paragraph (1)(c).