A reminder to all fishermen - bass protection measures - byelaw changes

The bass size limit has been rationalised and is now the same for catches off the coast and in estuaries. It is now illegal to retain any bass caught anywhere off the Cornish coast out to the six-mile limit if it is under 37.5 cm in length.

Bass are a slow-growing, long-lived fish and the protection will help protect the breeding stock. The 37.5cm length specimen would be about 6 yrs old and they can live up to 30 years but these older fish are few and far between these days!

Minimum Bass Size

The minimum size limit for bass in Cornish estuaries and on the coast out to a six mile limit is 37.5cm. It is an offence to retain any bass under this size from either an estuary (Environment Agency byelaw, 6th November 2002) or from the coast to 6 miles (Cornwall Seafisheries Bass byelaw, 7th April 1997).