{
  "url": "https://openlegislation.uk/eu-regulation-2019-1241/annex-V/part-A",
  "json_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/eu-regulation-2019-1241/annex-V/part-A.json",
  "legislation": "eur/2019/1241",
  "legislation_title": "Regulation (EU) 2019/1241 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 20 June 2019 on the conservation of fisheries resources and the protection of marine ecosystems through technical measures, amending Council Regulations (EC) No 1967/2006, (EC) No 1224/2009 and Regulations (EU) No 1380/2013, (EU) 2016/1139, (EU) 2018/973, (EU) 2019/472 and (EU) 2019/1022 of the European Parliament and of the Council, and repealing Council Regulations (EC) No 894/97, (EC) No 850/98, (EC) No 2549/2000, (EC) No 254/2002, (EC) No 812/2004 and (EC) No 2187/2005",
  "legislation_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/eu-regulation-2019-1241",
  "path": "annex/V/part/A",
  "kind": "part",
  "number": "A",
  "heading": "Minimum conservation reference sizes",
  "text": "In United Kingdom waters in ICES division 4a. In ICES Divisions 4b and 4c, a minimum conservation reference size of 130 mm shall apply.\nIn an area in ICES divisions 4b and 4c limited by a point at 53°28′22″ N, 0°09′24″ E, on the coast of England, a straight line joining this point with 53°28′22″ N, 0°22′24″ E, the 6-mile boundary of the United Kingdom, and a straight line connecting a point at 51°54′06″ N, 1°30′30″ E, with a point on the coast of England at 51°55′48″ N, 1°17′00″ E, a minimum conservation reference size of 115 mm shall apply.\nFor edible crabs caught in pots or creels, a maximum of 1 % by weight of the total catch of edible crab may consist of detached claws. For edible crabs caught with any other fishing gear, a maximum of 75 kg of detached crab claws may be landed.\nBy way of derogation from Article 15 of Regulation (EU) No 1380/2013, the minimum conservation reference sizes of sardine, anchovy, herring, horse mackerel and mackerel shall not apply within a limit of 10 % by live weight of the total catches retained on board of each of those species.\nThe percentage of sardine, anchovy, herring, horse mackerel or mackerel below minimum conservation reference size shall be calculated as the proportion by live weight of all marine organisms on board after sorting or on landing.\nThe percentage may be calculated on the basis of one or more representative samples. The limit of 10 % shall not be exceeded during transhipment, landing, transportation, storage, display or sale.\nFor extensions to and exemptions from the minimum conservation reference size (including derogations from Article 15 of Regulation (EU) No 1380/2013 (EUR 2013/1380)), see Article 14 of Regulation (EU) 2016/1627 of the European Parliament and of the Council on a multiannual recovery plan for bluefin tuna in the eastern Atlantic and the Mediterranean Regulation (EUR 2016/1627).\nSpecies\nNorth Sea\nCod (Gadus morhua)\n35 cm\nHaddock (Melanogrammus aeglefinus)\n30 cm\nSaithe (Pollachius virens)\n35 cm\nPollack (Pollachius pollachius)\n30 cm\nHake (Merluccius merluccius)\n27 cm\nMegrim (Lepidorhombus spp.)\n20 cm\nSole (Solea spp.)\n24 cm\nPlaice (Pleuronectes platessa)\n27 cm\nWhiting (Merlangius merlangus)\n27 cm\nLing (Molva molva)\n63 cm\nBlue ling (Molva dipterygia)\n70 cm\nNorway lobster (Nephrops norvegicus)\nTotal length 85 mm, Carapace length 25 mm Norway lobster tails 46 mm\nMackerel (Scomber spp.)\n30 cm\nHerring (Clupea harengus)\n20 cm\nHorse mackerel (Trachurus spp.)\n15 cm\nAnchovy (Engraulis encrasicolus)\n12 cm or 90 individuals per kg\nBass (Dicentrarchus labrax)\n42 cm\nSardine (Sardina pilchardus)\n11 cm\nLobster (Homarus gammarus)\n87 mm (carapace length)\nSpinous spider crab (Maja squinado)\n120 mm\nQueen scallop (Chalamys spp.)\n40 mm\nGrooved carpetshell (Ruditapes decussatus)\n40 mm\nCarpetshell (Venerupis pullastra)\n38 mm\nShort-necked clam (Venerupis philippinarum)\n35 mm\nClam (Venus verrucosa)\n40 mm\nHard clam (Callista chione)\n6 cm\nRazor clam (Ensis spp.)\n10 cm\nSurf clams (Spisula solida)\n25 mm\nDonax clams (Donax spp.)\n25 mm\nBean solen (Pharus legumen)\n65 mm\nWhelk (Buccinum undatum.)\n45 mm\nOctopus (Octopus vulgaris)\n750 g\nCrawfish (Palinurus spp.)\n95 mm (carapace length) (in the English zone only a minimum conservation reference size of 110 mm shall apply)\nDeepwater rose shrimp (Parapenaeus longirostirs)\n22 mm (carapace length)\nEdible crab (Cancer pagurus)\n140 mm\nScallop (Pecten maximus)\n100 mm\nCod (Gadus morhua)\n30 cm\nHaddock (Melanogrammus aeglefinus)\n27 cm\nSaithe (Pollachius virens)\n30 cm\nPollack (Pollachius pollachius)\n—\nHake (Merluccius merluccius)\n30 cm\nMegrim (Lepidorhombus spp.)\n25 cm\nSole (Solea spp.)\n24 cm\nPlaice (Pleuronectes platessa)\n27 cm\nWhiting (Merlangius merlangus)\n23 cm\nLing (Molva molva)\n—\nBlue ling (Molva dypterygia)\n—\nNorway lobster (Nephrops norvegicus)\nTotal length 105 mm\nNorway lobster tails 59 mm\nCarapace length 32 mm\nMackerel (Scomber spp.)\n20 cm\nHerring (Clupea harengus)\n18 cm\nHorse mackerel (Trachurus spp.)\n15 cm\nLobster (Homarus gammarus)\nTotal length 220 mm\nCarapace length 78 mm\nBluefin tuna (Thunnus thynnus)\n115 cm or 30 kg",
  "extent": "E+W+S+N.I.",
  "status": null,
  "version": "current",
  "annotations": [
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F1",
      "text": "Words in Annex 5 Pt. A table footnote substituted (31.12.2020) by The Common Fisheries Policy and Animals (Amendment etc.) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019 (S.I. 2019/1312), regs. 1(3), 5(34)(a); 2020 c. 1, Sch. 5 para. 1(1)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F2",
      "text": "Words in Annex 5 Pt. A table inserted (1.4.2024) by The Sea Fisheries (International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas) (Amendment) Regulations 2024 (S.I. 2024/439), regs. 1(1), 8(3)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F3",
      "text": "Words in Annex 5 Pt. A table inserted (16.12.2024) by The Sea Fisheries (Amendment) (No. 2) Regulations 2024 (S.I. 2024/1028), regs. 1(1), 2(3)"
    },
    {
      "type": "footnote",
      "label": "f1",
      "text": "By way of derogation from Article 15 of Regulation (EU) No 1380/2013, the minimum conservation reference sizes of sardine, anchovy, herring, horse mackerel and mackerel shall not apply within a limit of 10 % by live weight of the total catches retained on board of each of those species.The percentage of sardine, anchovy, herring, horse mackerel or mackerel below minimum conservation reference size shall be calculated as the proportion by live weight of all marine organisms on board after sorting or on landing.The percentage may be calculated on the basis of one or more representative samples. The limit of 10 % shall not be exceeded during transhipment, landing, transportation, storage, display or sale."
    },
    {
      "type": "footnote",
      "label": "f2",
      "text": "In United Kingdom waters in ICES division 4a. In ICES Divisions 4b and 4c, a minimum conservation reference size of 130 mm shall apply."
    },
    {
      "type": "footnote",
      "label": "f3",
      "text": "In an area in ICES divisions 4b and 4c limited by a point at 53°28′22″ N, 0°09′24″ E, on the coast of England, a straight line joining this point with 53°28′22″ N, 0°22′24″ E, the 6-mile boundary of the United Kingdom, and a straight line connecting a point at 51°54′06″ N, 1°30′30″ E, with a point on the coast of England at 51°55′48″ N, 1°17′00″ E, a minimum conservation reference size of 115 mm shall apply."
    },
    {
      "type": "footnote",
      "label": "f4",
      "text": "For edible crabs caught in pots or creels, a maximum of 1 % by weight of the total catch of edible crab may consist of detached claws. For edible crabs caught with any other fishing gear, a maximum of 75 kg of detached crab claws may be landed."
    },
    {
      "type": "footnote",
      "label": "f5",
      "text": "For extensions to and exemptions from the minimum conservation reference size (including derogations from Article 15 of Regulation (EU) No 1380/2013 (EUR 2013/1380)), see Article 14 of Regulation (EU) 2016/1627 of the European Parliament and of the Council on a multiannual recovery plan for bluefin tuna in the eastern Atlantic and the Mediterranean Regulation (EUR 2016/1627)."
    }
  ],
  "outstanding_effects": [],
  "provenance": {
    "source": "legislation.gov.uk",
    "source_url": "https://www.legislation.gov.uk/eur/2019/1241/annex/V/part/A",
    "retrieved_at": "2026-11-01T14:43:12.967414+00:00"
  },
  "licence": "Open Government Licence v3.0",
  "licence_url": "https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/",
  "attribution": "Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives."
}