Cattewater Harbour Commissioners have today removed these nets from the River Plym as a hazard to navigation and an illegal activity.
Commercial and recreational fishers are reminded that there are restrictions on fishing for bass in nursery areas within the Plymouth Rivers Tamar and Plym and that fishing for bass, or fishing for any species of sea fish using Sand Eels (Ammodytidae spp) as bait, by any fishing boat within any part of the Plymouth Rivers Bass Nursery Area is prohibited all year.
In accordance with Article 10 of Council Regulation (EU) 2020/123, and The Sea Fisheries (Amendment) Regulations 2023 the Bass fishing rules for recreational fishers are as follows:
- Catch-and-release only between 1st February to 31st March.
- Bass may only be retained between 1st April to 31st January. (Two Bass may be retained per person, per day within this period)
- Bass retained between these dates must measure at least the Minimum Conservation Reference Size of 42cm in length.
- No bass can be taken by fixed or drift nets.
These rules apply when fishing from a boat or from the shore.
Any person found breaching the Bass (Specified Areas) (Prohibition of Fishing) (Variation) Order 1999 may be subject to enforcement action including receiving a Financial Administrative Penalty (FAP) or court proceedings. Plymouth Harbour Authorities use a range of surveillance including CCTV to support the Devon and Severn IFCA and the MMO with enforcement cases.
