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Statutory Instruments

2018 No. 849

Sea Fisheries

The Sea Fishing (Enforcement) Regulations 2018

Made

11th July 2018

Laid before Parliament

16th July 2018

Coming into force

20th August 2018

The Secretary of State makes these Regulations in exercise of the powers conferred by section 2(2) of, and paragraph 1A of Schedule 2 to, the European Communities Act 1972 M1 (“the 1972 Act”).

The Secretary of State is designated for the purposes of the 1972 Act in relation to the common agricultural policy M2.

These Regulations make provision for a purpose mentioned in section 2(2) of the 1972 Act and it appears to the Secretary of State that it is expedient for the references to Articles of the EU instruments listed in the Schedule to these Regulations to be construed as a reference to those Articles as amended from time to time.

Marginal Citations

M11972 c. 68; section 2(2) was amended by section 27(1)(a) of the Legislative and Regulatory Reform Act 2006 (c. 51) and Part 1 of the Schedule to the European Union (Amendment) Act 2008 (c. 7). Paragraph 1A of Schedule 2 was inserted by section 28 of the Legislative and Regulatory Reform Act 2006 and was amended by Part 1 of the Schedule to the European Union (Amendment) Act 2008 and by S.I. 2007/1388. Under section 57(1) of the Scotland Act 1998 (c. 46), despite the transfer to Scottish Ministers of functions in relation to implementing obligations under EU law in relation to devolved matters, the Secretary of State retains power to exercise such functions as regards Scotland. Under paragraph 5 of Schedule 3 to the Government of Wales Act 2006 (c. 32), despite the transfer to the Welsh ministers of functions in relation to implementing obligations under EU law in relation to devolved matters, the Secretary of State retains power to exercise such functions in relation to Wales.

M2S.I. 1972/1811, to which there are amendments not relevant to these Regulations. The designation in relation to the common agricultural policy extends to the common fisheries policy under Article 38(1) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (OJ No. C 326, 26.10.2012, p.62). Functions exercisable by the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food and the Secretary of State acting jointly were transferred to the Secretary of State by S.I. 2002/794.

Citation, commencement, and extentE+W+S

1.—(1) These Regulations may be cited as the Sea Fishing (Enforcement) Regulations 2018 and come into force on 20th August 2018.

(2) These Regulations extend to Great Britain.

Powers of inshore fisheries and conservation officersE+W+S

2.—(1) An inshore fisheries and conservation officer (“IFC officer”) appointed under section 165(1) of the 2009 Act has the powers referred to in section 166(3) of the 2009 Act for the purpose of enforcing the EU fisheries conservation measures.

(2) In paragraph (1), “EU fisheries conservation measures” means the Articles of the EU instruments, as amended from time to time, specified in the Schedule.

(3) Section 166(4) to (9) of the 2009 Act applies to the powers which an IFC officer has for the purpose mentioned in paragraph (1) as it applies to the powers which an IFC officer has for the purposes specified in section 166(1) of the 2009 Act.

(4) In this regulation, “the 2009 Act” means the Marine and Coastal Access Act 2009 M3.

Marginal Citations

George Eustice

Minister of State

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

11th July 2018

Regulation 2(1)

SCHEDULEE+W+SEU fisheries conservation measures

ProvisionSubject matter
Commission Regulation (EEC) No 3440/84 on the attachment of devices to trawls, Danish seines and similar nets M4
Articles 4 to 15Restrictions on the use of devices attached to nets
Council Regulation (EC) No 894/97, laying down certain technical measures for the conservation of fishery resources M5
Articles 11, 11a and 11bRestrictions on the use of drift nets
Council Regulation (EC) No 850/98 for the conservation of fishery resources through technical measures for the protection of juveniles of marine organisms M6
Article 4(1) and (2)Requirements relating to the mesh sizes of towed nets
Article 4(3)Prohibition of fishing in certain areas without completing a logbook unless using certain towed nets
Article 4(4)Prohibition of landing unless nets with certain mesh sizes used
Article 5(3)Prohibition of transhipment of marine organisms without completing a logbook
Article 6Restriction on the number of meshes in certain towed gear
Article 7Restriction of use of square mesh panels in specified towed gear
Article 8Restrictions relating to the twine thickness of towed nets
Article 9Restrictions on the carriage or use of towed nets constructed wholly or in part of netting other than types specified
Article 10Restriction on the transhipment of marine organisms during any voyage when dredges are carried on board
Article 11Restriction on the use or keeping on board of specified fixed nets
Article 11aRequirement to use 400 millimetre minimum mesh size for bottom set gillnets in certain areas when used to catch turbot
Article 14Requirement to sort catches immediately after removal from nets
Article 15(1)Prohibition of the landing of marine organisms subject to the landing obligation which are caught in excess of specified percentages or quantities
Article 15(2)Prohibition of the retention of marine organisms not subject to the landing obligation in excess of specified percentages
Article 16Prohibition of the use of devices that obstruct nets
Article 18(3)Prohibition of the retention and landing of lobsters, crawfish, and bivalve and gastropod molluscs unless they are whole
Article 18(4)Restriction on the retention and landing of catches of detached crab claws made by pots or creels and other fishing gear
Article 19Prohibition of the retention, transhipment, landing, transport, storage, sale, offer for sale and display of undersized fish
Article 19aProhibition of the discarding of certain species in certain areas
Article 19bRestrictions on fishing for mackerel, herring and horse mackerel in certain areas
Articles 20 and 20aRestrictions on landing and retaining on board herring in specified waters during specified times
Article 21Restrictions on retaining on board sprat in specified waters during specified times
Article 22Restrictions on retaining on board mackerel in specified waters during specified times
Article 23Restrictions on retaining on board anchovy
Article 25Restrictions on retaining on board shrimps
Article 26Restrictions on the retention, transhipment, landing, transport storage, sale, offer for sale and display of salmon and sea trout caught using towed nets or within specified waters
Article 27Prohibition of the retaining on board Norway pout caught using towed gear in specified waters
Article 28Restrictions on fishing for hake using specified towed nets in specified waters during specified times
Article 29Restrictions on the fishing for plaice by certain vessels using specified towed gear in specified waters
Article 29aRestrictions on landing and retaining on board sand eel
Article 29bRestrictions on fishing for Norway lobster
Article 29cRestrictions on fishing for Rockall haddock in certain areas
Article 29d and 29eRestrictions on fishing for cod, haddock and whiting in certain areas
Article 29fRestrictions on retaining on board blue ling in certain areas
Article 30Restrictions on the use and having on board of certain demersal towed gear
Article 31Prohibition of the use of explosives, poisonous or stupefying substances or electric current (except certain electrical fishing specified in Article 31a) and on the sale, display or offer for sale of marine organisms caught using methods incorporating the use of any kind of projectile
Article 32Restrictions on the carriage or use on board of automatic grading equipment
Article 34Restrictions on the use of beam trawls within 12 miles of the coasts of the United Kingdom and Ireland
Article 36Prohibition of the landing, retention on board, transhipment, storage, transport, sale, display or offer for sale of salmon and sea trout caught within any part of the Skagerrak and Kattegat situated outside the four-mile limit measured from the baselines of Member States
Article 37(1)Restrictions on the use of certain trawls within 3 miles of the baselines in the Skagerrak and Kattegat during specified periods
Article 39Prohibition of the use of beam trawls in the Kattegat
Article 40Prohibition, during the periods and in the areas referred to in Articles 37 and 39 where trawls or beam trawls may not be used, of carrying on board such nets unless they are lashed and stowed in accordance with the provisions laid down in Article 20(1) of Council Regulation (EEC) No 2847/93 establishing a control system applicable to the common fisheries policy M7
Article 42(1)Prohibition of the processing on board, or transhipment for processing, of fish (except offal) to produce fish-meal, fish-oil, or similar products
Council Regulation (EC) No 2549/2000 establishing additional technical measures for the recovery of stock of cod in the Irish Sea (ICES Division VIIa) M8
Article 2Prohibition on fishing in the Irish Sea with specified towed nets
Commission Regulation (EC) No 2056/2001 establishing additional technical measures for the recovery of stocks of cod in the North Sea and to the west of the coast of Scotland M9
Article 4Requirements relating to demersal towed nets and to catch composition
Article 5Prohibition of the use of certain demersal towed nets and the carrying on board and use of certain beam trawls
Article 6Prohibition of the use of certain beam trawls in specified areas
Article 7Prohibition of the retention on board of cod in excess of a specified percentage by weight and caught by specified fixed gear
Article 8Prohibition of the use of certain demersal towed nets in specified areas
Article 9aRequirements on the landing of catches
Commission Regulation (EC) No 494/2002 establishing additional technical measures for the recovery of the stock of hake in ICES sub-areas III, IV, V, VI, and VII and ICES divisions VIII a, b, d, e M10
Article 2Prohibition on the retention on board of hake in excess of specified percentages of the total catch
Article 3Prohibition of the use of certain towed nets within specified areas, and prohibition of the use of certain other towed nets
Article 4Prohibition of the use of certain beam trawls within specified areas
Council Regulation (EC) No 1185/2003on the removal of fins of sharks on board vessels M11
Article 3Prohibition of the removal or retention on board, or transhipment, landing, purchase, offer for sale or sale of shark fins
Council Regulation (EC) No 812/2004 laying down measures concerning incidental catches of cetaceans in fisheries M12
Article 2Prohibition of the use of specified fishing gear without the simultaneous use of active acoustic deterrent devices
Council Regulation (EC) No 1224/2009 establishing a Community control system for ensuring compliance with the rules of the common fisheries policy M13
Article 8Restrictions on the marking of fishing gears
Article 20Prohibition of transhipment at sea
Article 42Restrictions on transhipment in port by vessels engaged in fisheries subject to a multiannual plan
Article 44Requirements on the stowage of demersal catches subject to multiannual plans
Article 47Restrictions on carriage of fishing gear of multiple types
Article 48Requirements relating to the retrieval of fishing gear lost at sea
Article 49aRequirements on the stowage of catches below the minimum conservation reference size
Article 49cRequirements on the landing of catches below the minimum conservation reference size
Council Regulation (EU) 2016/1627 of the European Parliament and of the Council on a multiannual recovery plan for bluefin tuna in the eastern Atlantic and the Mediterranean M14
Article 19(1)Prohibition of sport and recreational fishing of bluefin tuna without an authorisation issued by the Member State
Council Regulation (EU) 2018/120 fixing for 2018 the fishing opportunities for certain fish stocks and groups of fish stocks, applicable in Union waters and, for Union fishing vessels, in certain non-Union waters M15
Articles 9(1),(2) and (3)Prohibition in specified waters of the fishing (including by commercial fisheries from shore) for European sea bass and of the retention, transhipment, relocation or landing of European sea bass caught in certain areas, subject to derogations setting catch limits in specified waters for certain fishing vessels with previously recorded catches of European sea bass using specified gear
Article 9(4)Restrictions in specified waters on the recreational fishing (including from shore) of European sea bass and the prohibition of the retention, relocation, transhipment or landing of European sea bass caught in certain areas

Marginal Citations

M4OJ No. L 318, 7.12.1984, p.23, as last amended by Commission Regulation (EC) No 146/2007 (OJ No. L 46, 16.2.2007, p.9).

M5OJ No. L 132, 23.5.1997, p.1, as last amended by Council Regulation (EC) 809/2007 (OJ No. L 182, 12.7.2007, p.1).

M6OJ No. L 125, 27.4.1998, p.1, as last amended by Regulation (EU) 2015/812 of the European Parliament and of the Council (OJ No. L 133, 29.5.2015, p.1).

M7OJ No. L 261, 20.10.1993, p.1, which was repealed by Council Regulation (EC) No 1224/2009 (OJ No L 343, 22.12.2009, p.1). Article 20(1) of Council Regulation (EEC) No 2847/93 was replaced by Article 47 of Council Regulation (EC) No 1224/2009: see Correlation Table at Annex II.

M8OJ No. L 292, 21.11.2000, p.5, as last amended by Council Regulation (EC) No. 1456/2001 (OJ No. L 194, 18.7.2001, p. 1).

M9OJ No. L 277, 20.10.2001, p.13, as last amended by Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2015/1897 (OJ No. L 277, 22.10.2015, p.11).

M10OJ No. L 77, 20.3.2002, p.8, as last amended by Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) No. 2015/1867 (OJ No. L 275, 20.10.2015, p.20).

M11OJ No. L 167, 4.7.2003, p.1, as last amended by Regulation (EU) No. 605/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council (OJ No. L 181, 29.6.2013, p. 1).

M12OJ No. L 150, 30.4.2004, p. 12, as last amended by Regulation (EU) No. 597/2014 of the European Parliament and of the Council (OJ No. L 173, 12.6.2014, p 62).

M13OJ No. L 343, 22.12.2009, p. 1, as last amended by Regulation (EU) No. 2015/812 of the European Parliament and of the Council (OJ No. L 133, 29.5.2015, p 1).

M14OJ No. L 252, 16.9.2016, p.1.

M15OJ No. L 27, 31.1.2018, p.1.

Explanatory Note

(This note is not part of the Regulations)

These Regulations confer on inshore fisheries and conservation officers the enforcement powers in section 166(3) of the Marine and Coastal Access Act 2009 (c. 23) (“the 2009 Act”) in relation to EU fisheries conservation measures listed in the Schedule, as amended from time to time (see regulation 2(2)). Amending measures affecting the EU fisheries conservation measures may be found on Eur-Lex (https://eur-lex.europa.eu/homepage.html). Regulation 2(3) provides that these enforcement powers may be exercised in accordance with section 166(4) to (9) of the 2009 Act for the purposes of the specified fisheries conservation measures as they may be exercised for the purposes specified in section 166(1) of that Act.

A full regulatory impact assessment has not been produced for this instrument as no, or no significant, impact on the private, voluntary or public sector is foreseen.