CORNWALL INSHORE FISHERIES AND CONSERVATION AUTHORITY
(The fish and shellfish minimum sizes shown below are applied to the seaward part of the District. Other minimum sizes may apply in the rivers.)
MINIMUM FISH SIZES (CM) MINIMUM SHELLFISH SIZES (MM) Shellfish Permit
(See measuring methods overleaf) An annually renewable permit is required for any person
Bass 37.5 Edible Crab - Male 160 fishing from a boat and removing more than two animals
Black Seabream 23 - Female 150 from the species of lobster, crawfish, edible or spider crab.
Blue Ling 70 Spider Crab 130
Brill 30 Velvet Crab 65 Nets
Cod 35 Lobster (Carapace) 90 A variety of mesh sizes are regulated for fixed and towed
Conger Eel 58 Crawfish (Carapace) 110 nets, depending on the species being targeted.
Dab 15 Scallop 100 It is prohibited to use or keep on board any bottom set gill
Flounder 25 Queen Scallop 40 net, entangling or trammel net between 70mm and 90mm.
Grey Mullet 20 Whelk 45 The use of fixed nets with a headline set less than 3 metres
Haddock 30 Razor Clam 100 from the surface is banned in numerous areas around the
Hake 30 Surf Clam 25 coast.
Herring 20 Any net less than 250mm is banned from two defined areas
Horse Mackerel 15 Note: There are numerous species (mainly bi-valve around the Manacles and Runnelstone.
Lemon Sole 25 molluscs) for which minimum sizes exist that are not
Ling 63 listed here. Lobsters/Crawfish
Mackerel 20 It is prohibited to remove berried lobsters and crawfish.
Megrim 25 Shellfish Measuring Gauge V-notched lobsters and crawfish must be returned, plus any
Plaice 27 A stainless steel gauge can be supplied to any with a tail flap which is missing or mutilated, unless specific
Pollack 30 fisherman holding a valid Cornwall IFCA shellfish permission has been granted by Cornwall IFCA.
Red Mullet 15 permit.
Red Seabream 25 Shellfish Boats
Saithe (Coley) 35 The Cornwall IFCA District Fishing for shellfish (including scallops) with a vessel
Sardine (Pilchard) 11 The sea and rivers (within tidal limits) within the six exceeding 16.46 metres overall length is prohibited, unless
Sole (Dover) 24 mile limit drawn from baselines (including Eddystone special permission has been granted by Cornwall IFCA.
Turbot 30 Rocks), between seaward boundaries drawn due west
Whiting 27 from Marsland Mouth on the north coast, and due Trawling
Witch Flounder 28 south from the western end of Plymouth Sound Fishing with a trawl/towed net with a vessel exceeding
breakwater on the south coast. 18.28 metres overall length or 221 kW engine power is
Fish to be measured from the tip of the nose to prohibited, unless special permission has been granted by
the furthest end of the tail. Cornwall IFCA.
Only a few fisheries regulations are referred to on this form. Further information and advice may be obtained from Cornwall Inshore Fisheries and Conservation
Authority, St Clare Offices, St Clare Street, Penzance TR18 3QW, or telephone 01736 336842, or visit our website www.cornwall-ifca.gov.uk.
Information on this form was correct at the time of publication and is intended for guidance only. It is not a statement of the Law which is subject to change.
[Issue 1 April 2011]
CORNWALL INSHORE FISHERIES AND CONSERVATION AUTHORITY
MINIMUM SIZES
Male 160 mm
Female 150 mm Crawfish
(Palinurus elephas)
110 mm
Edible Crab
(Cancer pagurus)
100 mm
Scallop
(Pecten maximus)
130 mm
Spider Crab
90 mm (Maja spp.)
Lobster
(Homarus gammarus)