{
  "url": "https://openlegislation.uk/eu-regulation-2019-1241/annex-VI/part-A",
  "json_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/eu-regulation-2019-1241/annex-VI/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/VI/part/A",
  "kind": "part",
  "number": "A",
  "heading": null,
  "text": "Minimum conservation reference sizes\nIn ICES divisions 6a and 7a a minimum conservation reference size of total length of 70 mm and a carapace length of 20 mm shall apply.\nIn ICES divisions 6a and 7a a minimum conservation reference size of 37 mm shall apply.\nIn United Kingdom waters in ICES sub-areas, 5, 6 south of 56° N and 7, except ICES divisions 7d, 7e and 7f, a minimum conservation reference size of 130 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.\nIn ICES division 7a north of 52°30′ N, and ICES division 7d, a minimum conservation reference size of 110 mm shall apply.\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.\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\nWhole area (unless otherwise specified)\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 dypterygia)\n70 cm\nNorway lobster (Nephrops norvegicus) Norway Lobster tails\nTotal length 85 mm, Carapace length 25 mm 46 mm\nMackerel (Scomber spp.)\n20 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\nRed sea-bream (Pagellus bogaraveo)\n33 cm\nLobster (Hommarus gammarus)\n87 mm\nSpinous spider crab (Maja squinado)\n120 mm\nQueen scallop (Chlamys 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 (in the English zone only a minimum conservation reference size of 110 mm shall apply)\nDeepwater rose shrimp (Parapenaeus longirostris)\n22 mm (carapace length)\nEdible crab (Cancer pagurus)\n140 mm\nScallop (Pecten maximus)\n100 mm\nBluefin tuna (Thunnus thynnus)\n115 cm or 30 kg\nLemon Sole (Microstomus kitt)\n25cm applicable in ICES divisions 7d and 7e only\nTurbot (Scophthalmus maximus)\n30cm applicable in ICES divisions 7d and 7e only\nBrill (Scophthalmus rhombus)\n30cm applicable in ICES divisions 7d and 7e only\nThe percentage of sardine, anchovy, herring, horse mackerel or mackerel below the 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.",
  "extent": "E+W+S+N.I.",
  "status": null,
  "version": "current",
  "annotations": [
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F1",
      "text": "Words in Annex 6 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(35)(a); 2020 c. 1, Sch. 5 para. 1(1)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F2",
      "text": "Words in Annex 6 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(4)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F3",
      "text": "Words in Annex 6 Pt. A table inserted (16.12.2024) by The Sea Fisheries (Amendment) (No. 2) Regulations 2024 (S.I. 2024/1028), regs. 1(1), 2(4)(a)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F4",
      "text": "Words in Annex 6 Pt. A table inserted (16.12.2024) by The Sea Fisheries (Amendment) (No. 2) Regulations 2024 (S.I. 2024/1028), regs. 1(1), 2(4)(b)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F5",
      "text": "Words in Annex 6 Pt. A table inserted (16.12.2024) by The Sea Fisheries (Amendment) (No. 2) Regulations 2024 (S.I. 2024/1028), regs. 1(1), 2(4)(c)"
    },
    {
      "type": "footnote",
      "label": "f1",
      "text": "In ICES divisions 6a and 7a a minimum conservation reference size of total length of 70 mm and a carapace length of 20 mm shall apply."
    },
    {
      "type": "footnote",
      "label": "f2",
      "text": "In ICES divisions 6a and 7a a minimum conservation reference size of 37 mm shall apply."
    },
    {
      "type": "footnote",
      "label": "f3",
      "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."
    },
    {
      "type": "footnote",
      "label": "f4",
      "text": "In United Kingdom waters in ICES sub-areas, 5, 6 south of 56° N and 7, except ICES divisions 7d, 7e and 7f, a minimum conservation reference size of 130 mm shall apply."
    },
    {
      "type": "footnote",
      "label": "f5",
      "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": "f6",
      "text": "In ICES division 7a north of 52°30′ N, and ICES division 7d, a minimum conservation reference size of 110 mm shall apply."
    },
    {
      "type": "footnote",
      "label": "f7",
      "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": [
    {
      "type": "words inserted",
      "affecting": "uksi/2026/120",
      "affecting_title": null
    },
    {
      "type": "words inserted",
      "affecting": "uksi/2026/120",
      "affecting_title": null
    }
  ],
  "provenance": {
    "source": "legislation.gov.uk",
    "source_url": "https://www.legislation.gov.uk/eur/2019/1241/annex/VI/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."
}