Fighting for Bass and Bass Anglers’ since 1973

Nursery Areas

CHAPTER 8 – PROTECT AND SURVIVE

Nursery Areas

Fishing for bass from any vessel, as well as fishing for any species of sea-fish using sandeels as bait, is prohibited by law in 37 separate areas for all or part of the year. These areas, their extent and the length of prohibition are shown below.

These ‘nursery areas comprise river estuaries, harbours and power station outfalls where juvenile bass usually predominate. In certain nursery areas, fishing may also be subject to other restrictions implemented by the local sea fisheries committee or the Environment Agency.

The prohibition on bass fishing in nursery areas does not apply to fishing from the shore. However, it is expected that shore anglers will respect the need for this prohibition and either not fish in nursery areas all, or return to the sea any bass caught within them.

Responsibility for enforcement rests with the Fisheries Departments and their Sea Fisheries Inspectorate. The Inspectorate is assisted by the officers of local Sea Fisheries Committees, who are empowered to enforce both national and regional conservation measures.

Note: The information below was correct when it was first published – it may not be correct now.

BASS NURSERY AREA PERIOD APPLYING
1. Blyth Power Station All Year
2. Bradwell Power Station
3. Grain Power Station
4. Kingsnorth Power Station
5. Dungeness Power Station
6. Chichester Harbour Between 30 April and 1 November
7. Langstone Harbour
8. Portsmouth Harbour
9. Southampton Water
10. Fawley Power Station All Year
11. Poole Harbour Between 30 April and 1 November
12. The Fleet All Year
13. River Exe, Devon Between 30 April and 1 November
14. River Teign
15. River Dart, Devon Between 30 April and 1 January
16. Salcombe Harbour
17. River Avon, Devon
18. River Yealm
19. Plymouth Rivers All Year
20. River Fowey Between 30 April and 1 January
21. Fal Estuary
22. Percuil River
23. Helford River
24. Camel Estuary Between 30 April and 1 December
25. River Torridge Between 30 April and 1 November
26. River Taw
27. Aberthaw Power Station All Year
28. Burry inlet Between 30 April and 1 November
29. Taf, Tywi and Gwendraeth Estuary
30. Milford Haven
31. Teifi Estuary
32. River Dyfi
33. River Mawddach
34. Dwyryd/Glaslyn Estuary
35. Conwy Estuary
36. Dee Estuary Between 30 April and 1 October
37. Heysham Power Station All Year

Author: Geoff Gonella

Photo: Rob Pope

© Bass Anglers’ Sportfishing Society 2008