FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Q1 - What restrictions are there if I want to gather shellfish in Northumberland from the shore or from a boat which is not registered by the Marine Management Organisation?

A - You must not catch more than 1 lobster, 5 crabs, 20 whelks or 5 prawns per day. For further information etc. Byelaws 11, 13 and 15 which are on the website.

Q2 - What are the minimum landing sizes of shellfish which can be landed in the district..

A - Lobster 87mm carapace, Edible crab (or Brown crab) 130mm, Velvet crab 65mm – for details of other shellfish see the Annex of minimum landing sizes to the IFCA byelaws on the website. See this chart

Q3 - Can I set a bottom-set gillnet?

A - Yes, but between 26 March and 31 October in any year you are required to have the net set in at least 7 metres of water at all states of the tide.  For further information see Byelaws 4 and 13 which are on the website

Q4 - Can I get a salmon licence from Northumberland SFC? 

A - No. The Environment Agency issues salmon licences. Please check Environment Agency requirements by telephoning No. 0191 203 4000.

Q5 - How many pots am I permitted to set from the shore or an unregistered boat?

A – Up to 5 pots. Please refer to byelaws 13 and 15.

Q6 - What is the minimum landing size of both fish and shellfish?

A - For details of minimum landing sizes of both fish and shellfish see Annex at back of NIFCA byelaws on the website.

Q7 How and where can I obtain NIFCA tags required by byelaw 15?

A- Contact the NIFCA office at Cramlington either by telephoning 01670 731 399, faxing 01670 731 639 or by emailing nifca.gov.uk

April 2011

Link to:

INFORMATION FOR ANGLERS and other interested parties

Fishing activity using fixed engines (gillnetting and T netting) in the Northumberland IFCA district

Attached to this Notice is a copy of the Authority’s Byelaw No. 4 Fixed Engines

Please note that all fishing vessels under 10 metres in length with an uncapped licence (from Defra) to fish can presently catch up to the current monthly legal quota allowance of cod, whiting and other species using legally sized gillnets.

Also please note that all under 10 metre fishing vessels which have a capped licence can only land 300 kilograms per annum of any TAC species.

Regular checks are carried out by fishery enforcement officers in respect of licensed fishing vessels at ports in the district as well as at sea using the committee’s patrol vessel St. Oswald and RIBs Bravo 1 and Delta 1.

Nets can be used to catch pot bait from locations which are not prohibited by the byelaw and provided the species caught are of at least the legal minimum size (where there is one).

Unregistered and unlicensed persons may place gillnets in the sea in legally permitted areas to catch species of the permitted minimum size and over but are not permitted to sell what they catch.

Further information is available from the Authority’s office or from a fishery officer.

All byelaws are on the website but if you would like a hard copy of the byelaws, please telephone the Authority office.

The above is not a formal statement of the law, for which reference should be made to the relevant legislation and any Court cases decided thereunder.

Northumberland Inshore Fisheries and Conservation Authority
Unit 60B, South Nelson Road, Cramlington, Northumberland. NE23 1WF
T: (01670 731 399 F: (01670 731639) E: nifca@nifca.gov.uk