About Us

The aims of The Northumberland Sea Fisheries Committee include:

• To monitor fisheries other than migratory fisheries within the Committee Limits
• To make byelaws when appropriate in the interests of fisheries and the environment
• To enforce byelaws
• To enforce legislation, both European and National

Our Purpose

The object of the Committee is to regulate the sea fisheries, other than the salmon and trout fishery, within the Committee’s District.  The Committee’s District is essentially in length from the Scottish Border to the River Tyne and extends in depth six miles out from the coastline.

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Limits of the District

The Northumberland Sea Fisheries District was originally created under and by virtue of an order of the Board of Trade, dated the 20th March 1890, made in pursuance of the Sea Fisheries Regulation Act 1888.  By virtue of the Northumberland Sea Fisheries District (Variation) Order 1980 as amended by the Sea Fisheries Districts (Variation) Order 1993, the District now comprises so much of the sea within the national waters of the United Kingdom adjacent to England, and so much of the sea within six nautical miles from the baselines from which the breadth of the territorial sea of the United Kingdom adjacent to England is measured, with the adjoining coast, as lies within the following limits, namely, on the north a line drawn true east from the seaward extremity of the northern boundary of the County of Northumberland and, on the south, a line drawn true east from the lighthouse at the seaward extremity of the South Pier at the southern side of the entrance to the River Tyne (being the northern boundary of the North-Eastern Sea Fisheries District).

The sea fisheries district shall not extend above a line drawn at or near the mouth of every river or stream flowing into the sea, or into any estuary, or of any estuary, within the limits of the said district, as follows:

• A line drawn across the River Tweed, in a south-westerly direction on a bearing of 225º true from the lighthouse at the seaward extremity of Berwick Breakwater to the opposite shore in the vicinity of Spittal Point;

• A line drawn across the River Coquet at Amble from the seaward extremity of the south breakwater to the seaward extremity of the north breakwater;

• A line drawn across the River Tyne, from the seaward extremity of the North Pier at Tynemouth to the seaward extremity of the South Pier at South Shields;

• A line drawn across every such river, stream or estuary not hereinbefore specified, such line being in continuation of the general line of the coast at low water.

In respect of such of the rivers, streams and estuaries hereinbefore referred to as flow into or join the sea within that part of the sea fisheries district hereby created which lies between Howick Burn Mouth and the southern limit of the said district, the Environment Agency has the powers of a local fisheries committee above the lines beyond which the sea fisheries district does not extend.

NOTE

The district thus extends to 6 nautical miles seaward from the baselines from which the United Kingdom Territorial Waters are measured and save as mentioned above includes the water on the landward side of those baselines.  The baselines in question were those established by the Territorial Waters Order in Council 1964 as amended by the Territorial Waters (Amendment) Order in Council 1979.  Save in the case of bays, the distance of 6 nautical miles is measured from low water mark along the whole extent of the coast within the district as well as of independent islands and banks.

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