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Target Species for Towed Gear

(List of more common species from Annex I EC Reg No. 850/98 in the ESFJC District)

 
Mesh Size Range
 
16-31mm
16-31mm
32-54mm
32-54mm
55-69mm
80-99mm
80-99mm
100+mm
 
Minimum % of Target Species
Species
90/60 (4)
60
30
90/60 (4)
90
30
70
None
Sand eels(1)(Ammodytidae)
T (2)
.
.
T
.
T
T
T
Norway Pout (Trisopterus esmarkii)
T
.
.
T
.
T
T
T
Smelt (Atherina spp. & Osmerus spp.)
T
.
.
T
.
T
T
T
Poor Cod (Trisopterus minutus)
T
.
.
T
.
T
T
T
Sprat (Sprattus sprattus)
T
.
.
T
.
T
T
T
Eel (Anguilla anguilla)
T
.
.
T
.
T
T
T
Blue Whiting (Micromesistius poutassou)
T
.
.
T
.
T
T
T
Sardine (Sardina pilchardus)
T
.
.
T
.
T
T
T

Shrimp / Common Prawns (Pandalus montagui, Crangon spp., Palemon spp)

.
T
T
T
.
T
T
T
Mackerel (Scomber spp.)
<15%mix
.
.
T
T
T
T
T
Horse Mackerel (Trachurus spp.)
.
.
.
T
.
T
T
T
Herring (Clupea harengus)
<20% (3)
<20% (3)
.
T
.
T
T
T
Squids (Loliginidae, Ommastrephidae)
<15%mix
.
.
T
.
T
T
T
Bib (Trisopterus luscus)
<15%mix
.
.
T
.
T
T
T
Prawns (Pandalus spp.)
<15%mix
.
T
.
.
T
T
T
Conger (Conger conger)
<15%mix
.
.
<15%mix
.
T
T
T
Gurnards (Triglidae)
.
.
.
<15%mix
.
T
T
T
Octopus (octopus vulgaris)
<15%mix
.
.
<15%mix
.
T
T
T
Sole (Solea vulgaris)
<15%mix
.
.
<15%mix
.
.
T
T
Plaice (Pleuronectes platessa)
<15%mix
.
.
<15%mix
.
.
T
T
Megrim (Lepidorhombus spp.)
<15%mix
.
.
<15%mix
.
.
T
T
Whiting (Merlangius merlangus)
<15%mix
.
.
<15%mix
.
.
T
T
Brill (Scophthalmus rhombus)
<15%mix
.
.
<15%mix
.
.
T
T
Dab (Limanda limanda)
<15%mix
.
.
<15%mix
.
.
T
T
Cuttlefish (Sepia officinalis)
<15%mix
.
.
<15%mix
.
.
T
T
Sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax)
<15%mix
.
.
<15%mix
.
.
T
T
Flounder (Platichthys flesus)
<15%mix
.
.
<15%mix
.
.
T
T
Lemon Sole (Microstomus kitt)
<15%mix
.
.
<15%mix
.
.
T
T
Dogfish (Scliorhinidae)
<15%mix
.
.
<15%mix
.
.
T
T
Pollack (Pollachius pollachius)
<15%mix
.
.
<15%mix
.
.
T
T
John Dory (Zeus faber)
<15%mix
.
.
<15%mix
.
.
T
T
Queen Scallop (Chlamys opercularis)
<15%mix
.
.
<15%mix
.
.
T
T
Red Mullets (Mullidae)
<15%mix
.
.
<15%mix
.
.
T
T
Grey mullets (Mugilidae)
<15%mix
.
.
<15%mix
.
.
T
T
Anglers (Lophiidae)
<15%mix
.
.
<15%mix
.
.
T
T
Skate/Rays (Rajidae)
<15%mix
.
.
<15%mix
.
.
T
T
Sea breams (Sparidae)
<15%mix
.
.
<15%mix
.
.
T
T
Turbot (Psetta maxima)
<15%mix
.
.
<15%mix
.
.
T
T
All other Marine Organisms
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
T
Notes
(1) Can fish from March 1st to October 31st in the North Sea using <16mm mesh if the catch comprises 95% Sand eel.
(2) Can fish from 1st November to 28th February in the North Sea.
(3) In ICES Sub-area IV (ESFJC District) may be retained if <20% by weight of total catch and is not sorted.
(4) At least 90% of two or more target species, or at least 60% of one target species (with no more than 5% mixture of cod, haddock and saithe, and no more than 15% of any mixture of species marked <15%mix)
(5) Mesh Size Range 70-79mm is banned

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