The Shrimp Fishing Nets Order 2002

Prohibition on fishing for shrimps without a separator trawl or sorting grid U.K.

3.—(1) No [F1 regulated fishing boat] shall carry or deploy a net, whose mesh measures between 16 and 31 millimetres unless—

(a) netting, the mesh of which measures at least twice that of the codend and no more than 70 millimetres, is fitted across the entire cross-section of the net in such a way that—

(i) sea fish cannot reach the codend without first passing through the netting; and

(ii) there is a hole in the net through which all sea fish that do not pass through the netting are able to escape;

(b) a rigid grid, the spacing between the bars of which is no more than 20 millimetres, is fitted across the entire cross-section of the net in such a way that—

(i) sea fish cannot reach the codend without first passing through the grid; and

(ii) there is a hole in the net through which all sea fish that do not pass through the grid are able to escape;

(c) no sea fish have been caught; or

(d) where sea fish have been caught, less than 60 per cent by live weight of the total catch comprises common shrimps (Crangon spp.), Aesop shrimps (Pandalus montagui) or a combination of the two, and the retention of sea fish on board the boat is consistent with Article 25 of Council Regulation 850/98 F2 ... for the conservation of fishery resources through technical measures for the protection of juveniles of marine organisms(1) [F3 , as last amended by Regulation (EU) 2015/812 of the European Parliament and of the Council].

(2) The prohibition in this article shall not apply to fishing boats with either—

(a) an aggregate beam width of 8 metres or less; or

(b) a net headline of 8 metres or less.

[F4 (3) The prohibition in this article does not apply to—

(a) a fishing boat in the territorial sea adjacent to Wales,

(b) a Scottish fishing boat either in the Scottish zone or outside British fishery limits,

(c) a Northern Ireland fishing boat either in the Northern Ireland zone or outside British fishery limits, or

(d) a foreign fishing boat outside British fishery limits.]

Textual Amendments

F1 Words in art. 3(1) substituted (31.12.2020) by Fisheries Act 2020 (c. 22), s. 54(3)(a), Sch. 2 para. 8(4)(a) (with s. 50, Sch. 4 para. 31)

F2 Words in art. 3(1)(d) omitted (17.9.2018) by virtue of The Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Miscellaneous Amendments and Revocations) Regulations 2018 (S.I. 2018/942), regs. 1(2), 50(3)(a)

F3 Words in art. 3(1)(d) substituted (17.9.2018) by The Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Miscellaneous Amendments and Revocations) Regulations 2018 (S.I. 2018/942), regs. 1(2), 50(3)(b)

F4 Art. 3(3) inserted (31.12.2020) by Fisheries Act 2020 (c. 22), s. 54(3)(a), Sch. 2 para. 8(4)(b) (with s. 50, Sch. 4 para. 31)

Commencement Information

I1 Art. 3 in force at 1.1.2003, see art. 1(1)

(1)

OJ No. L 125, 27.4.1998, p. 1.