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The Scallop (Amendment of Minimum Conservation Reference Sizes) (Wales) Regulations 2026

W.S.I. 2026/120 · Made 1 October 2026

Original text. legislation.gov.uk does not revise statutory instruments, so later amendments are not shown here. Changes made to it are listed under each provision when known.

SEA FISHERIES, WALES

Made 1 October 2026

Coming into force 1 November 2026

The Welsh Ministers, in exercise of the powers conferred by Articles 15 (2) and 29 (8) of Regulation (EU) 2019/1241 of the European Parliament and of the Council on the conservation of fisheries resources and the protection of marine ecosystems through technical measuresf1, which now vest in the Welsh Ministers acting in the capacity of a fisheries administrationf2, make the following Regulations.

In accordance with Article 15 (2) of Regulation (EU) 2019/1241, the Welsh Ministers have obtained scientific evidence to support the measures made by these Regulations.

In accordance with Article 15 (2C) of Regulation (EU) 2019/1241, the Welsh Ministers consulted such bodies or persons as appear to be representative of the interests likely to be substantially affected by these Regulations and such other bodies or persons as the Welsh Ministers consider appropriate.

Annotations to the whole text

Footnotes

f1

EUR 2019/1241, amended by S.I. 2019/1312, 2021/1429, 2023/1054, 2024/439, 2024/1028, 2025/82 and by paragraph 11 of Schedule 11 to the Fisheries Act 2020 (c. 22). S.I. 2019/1312 came into force immediately before implementation period completion day by virtue of paragraph 1 (1) of Schedule 5 to the European Union (Withdrawal Agreement) Act 2020 (c. 1) and was amended before it came into force by S.I. 2020/1542.

f2

The powers are now vested in the Welsh Ministers in relation to the Welsh zone. See Article 1 (1), (2), (4) and (9) of Regulation (EU) No 1380/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council on the Common Fisheries Policy for the definition of “a fisheries administration” and associated provisions regarding the interpretation of a power exercisable by a fisheries administration within the jurisdiction of the Welsh Ministers.

Contents

  1. 1Title and coming into force
  2. 2Amendment of Regulation (EU) 2019/1241 of the European Parliament and of the Council on the conservation of fisheries resources and the protection of marine ecosystems through technical measures
  3. 3Amendment of the Byelaws of the former North Western and North Wales Sea Fisheries Committee
  4. Signature
  5. Explanatory note

1Title and coming into force

(1)

The title of these Regulations is the Scallop (Amendment of Minimum Conservation Reference Sizes) (Wales) Regulations 2026.

(2)

These Regulations come into force on 1 November 2026.

2Amendment of Regulation (EU) 2019/1241 of the European Parliament and of the Council on the conservation of fisheries resources and the protection of marine ecosystems through technical measures

(1)

Regulation (EU) 2019/1241 of the European Parliament and of the Council on the conservation of fisheries resources and the protection of marine ecosystems through technical measures is amended as follows.

(2)

In Annex 6 (north western waters), in Part A (minimum conservation reference sizes), in the table—

(a)

in the entry relating to “Queen scallop (Chlamys spp.)”, in the second column, after “40 mm” insert “(in the Welsh zone, a minimum conservation reference size of 55mm applies)”;

(b)

in the entry relating to “Scallop (Pecten maximus)”, in the second column, after “100 mm” insert “(in the Welsh zone, a minimum conservation reference size of 110mm applies)”.

3Amendment of the Byelaws of the former North Western and North Wales Sea Fisheries Committee

In the Byelawsf1 of the former North Western and North Wales Sea Fisheries Committee, in byelaw 19 (specified fish sizes), in paragraph 3, in the table, in the entry relating to “Queen Scallop (Aequipecten opercularis)”, in the second column (size), for “40*” substitute “55*”.

Signature

Llyr Gruffydd

Cabinet Minister for Rural Resilience and Sustainability, one of the Welsh Ministers

1 October 2026

Explanatory note

(This note is not part of the Regulations)

These Regulations amend sea fisheries legislation concerning the minimum conservation reference sizes for king scallop and queen scallop that apply within the Welsh zone.

Regulation 2 makes minor amendments to Regulation (EU) 2019/1241 of the European Parliament and of the Council on the conservation of fisheries resources and the protection of marine ecosystems through technical measures (EUR 2019/1241). It amends the minimum conservation reference size for king scallop (Pecten maximus) to apply a consistent minimum conservation reference size of 110mm throughout the Welsh zone. It also increases the minimum conservation reference size for queen scallop (Chlamys spp. (formerly Aequipecten opercularis)) in the Welsh zone from 40mm to 55mm.

Regulation 3 makes a consequential amendment to byelaw 19 of the Byelaws of the former North Western and North Wales Sea Fisheries Committee to bring the specified minimum size for queen scallop under those byelaws into line with Regulation (EU) 2019/1241 (as that instrument is amended by these Regulations).

The Welsh Ministers’ Code of Practice on the carrying out of Regulatory Impact Assessments was considered in relation to these Regulations. As a result, a regulatory impact assessment has been prepared as to the likely costs and benefits of complying with these Regulations. A copy can be obtained from the Welsh Government, Fisheries Division, Cathays Park, Cardiff CF10 3NQ and is published on www.gov.wales.