Defra has made the Sea Fisheries (Amendment) Regulations 2026 (S.I. 2026/105), laid on 6 February and in force on 27 February 2026. The instrument updates assimilated Council Regulation (EU) 2020/123 by increasing the recreational European seabass daily retention limit and by removing picked dogfish (spurdog) from the domestic prohibited list, with future controls to be set via fishing vessel licence conditions.
The regulation is made under section 36 of the Fisheries Act 2020 for conservation and fish industry purposes, alongside section 15 of the Retained EU Law (Revocation and Reform) Act 2023 which permits updates to assimilated law to reflect developments in scientific understanding. These provisions provide the legal mechanism to adjust retained EU measures in domestic law. (legislation.gov.uk)
On European seabass, Article 10 remains structured around a closed catch‑and‑release period from 1 February to 31 March in ICES divisions 4b, 4c, 6a, 7a and 7d to 7j. Outside that period, the daily retention limit moves from two fish to three per angler, with the minimum conservation reference size fixed at 42 cm; fixed nets continue to be excluded from the per‑day retention provision. (legislation.gov.uk)
Government guidance had already signalled a shift to a three‑fish daily limit for 2026, pending legislation following annual UK‑EU negotiations. The statutory amendment now implements that signal domestically, aligning recreational rules with agreed management intent. (gov.uk)
On prohibited species, Article 16 previously listed picked dogfish as prohibited in UK waters, with an additional paragraph defining the relevant length measurement for enforcement. S.I. 2026/105 removes the picked dogfish listing and deletes the measurement paragraph, clearing the way for management through targeted conditions rather than a blanket statutory prohibition. (legislation.gov.uk)
Enforcement will operate through licence conditions issued by fisheries administrations. The UK already manages spurdog using licence‑based limits and conditions, and non‑compliance with a fishing vessel licence is prosecutable. Operators should expect any future restrictions for picked dogfish to be delivered and varied through such licence terms. (gov.uk)
For commercial fishers, monthly and area‑specific spurdog limits published by the Marine Management Organisation illustrate how controls are applied in practice and adjusted in‑year. Skippers should monitor licence variations and MMO notices alongside quota updates to ensure continuing compliance. (gov.uk)
For recreational anglers and charter skippers, the practical effect is a higher daily seabass retention allowance outside the February–March catch‑and‑release period, while the 42 cm minimum size remains unchanged. Anglers should also remain aware of local bass nursery area restrictions which can add further catch‑and‑release obligations. (gov.uk)
Cross‑UK application is maintained. The Secretary of State consulted and obtained the necessary devolved consents before making regulations of this type, consistent with sections 40 and 41 of the Fisheries Act 2020. This enables coherent implementation across British fishery limits while respecting devolved competence. (legislation.gov.uk)