WASH FISHERY ORDER 1992
Regulations
The local fisheries committee for the Eastern Sea Fisheries District in exercise of the powers conferred on them by Article 7 of the Wash Fishery Order 1992 under the Sea Fisheries (Shellfish) Act 1967, as amended, has made the following regulations:-
REGULATION No 1; FISHING EQUIPMENT
"No vessel may be used for dredging, fishing for or taking oysters, mussels,
cockles, clams, scallops or queens under the authority of a licence issued
under Article 8(1) of the Wash Fishery Order 1992 unless the dredges, pumps,
riddles and other associated fishing equipment with which such vessel is equipped
are of the pattern specified in the Schedule to this regulation".
REGULATION No 2; CATCH RESTRICTIONS
“(1) Subject to paragraphs (2) and (3) no licence holder may in any
one calendar day fish for, take or remove from the regulated fishery:
(a) more than 2000 kilograms of cockles by hand; and
(b) more than 4000 kilograms of cockles by suction dredge.
(2) Where a licence holder has fished for, taken or removed from the regulated fishery any cockles by hand, he may not take any cockles by suction dredge in the same calendar day.
(3) Where a licence holder has fished for, taken or removed from the regulated fishery any cockles by suction dredge, he may not take any cockles by hand in the same calendar day.
(4) No licence holder may in any one calendar day fish for, take or remove from the regulated fishery by any means more than 4000 kilograms of mussels.
(5) All catches of mussels or cockles must be contained in bags, boxes or bins.
(6) For the purpose of calculating the weights
referred to in paragraphs (1) to (4), no allowance is to be made in respect
of the weight of:
(a) any bags, boxes or bins (whether wet or dry); or
(b) any sand or other material."
REGULATION No3; SEED MOVEMENT
"Without prejudice to Article 12 of the
Wash Fishery Order, 1992, (a), the removal of any seed oysters, mussels, cockles,
clams, scallops or queens by road from the Regulated Fishery shall only take
place under the written authority in that behalf of the Eastern Sea Fisheries
Joint Committee signed by the Clerk. Any application for such authorisation
shall include the Registration Number of the vehicle(s) involved, the date
of proposed movement and the destination of the load."
(a) Article 12 of the Wash Fishery Order 1992 provides that for the purpose
of cultivating the Regulated Fishery any person authorised by the Committee
may remove any spat or small oysters, mussels, cockles, scallops, or queens
from the Regulated Fishery or from one part of the fishery to any other part
at such times and in such quantities as the Committee may direct.”
REGULATION No 4; HYDRAULIC SUCTION
DREDGE HEAD WIDTH
"The use of multiple hydraulic suction
dredge heads attached laterally by whatever means is prohibited if the aggregate
width of the horizontal inside opening of such multiple headed dredges exceeds
76 centimetres."
REGULATION No 5; MUSSEL DREDGE WIDTH
"In fishing for mussels no person shall
use, except under the written authority in that behalf of the Eastern Sea
Fisheries Joint Committee signed by the Clerk, from any vessel, any mechanical
dredge the horizontal width of the inside opening of which exceeds one (1)
metre."
REGULATION No 6; NUMBER OF DREDGES
"In fishing for any molluscan species
specified within Article 8(1) of the Wash Fishery Order 1992 no person shall
use, except under the written authority in that behalf of the Eastern Sea
Fisheries Joint Committee signed by the Clerk, from any vessel more than one
(1) dredge when fishing for cockles and two (2) dredges when fishing for oysters,
mussels, clams, scallops or queens."
REGULATION No7; VESSEL LENGTH RESTRICTION
(i) In dredging, fishing for or taking oysters,
mussels, cockles, clams, scallops or queens no person shall use any vessel,
the overall length of which exceeds fourteen (14) metres.
(ii) Without prejudice to the generality of paragraph (i) above, the Committee shall authorise the use of vessels exceeding fourteen (14) metres overall length provided the owners and or skippers of such vessels can provide the Committee with evidence of having dredged, fished for or taken oysters, mussels, cockles, clams, scallops or queens from within the limits of the regulated fishery prior to the date of advertisement of the said Order.
(iv) Any authorisation issued by the Committee under paragraph (ii) above shall cease to have effect if the vessel so authorised is sold."
REGULATION No8; MUSSELS (Mytilus
edulis) - MINIMUM SIZE
No person shall remove from the area contained
within the boundaries of the Wash Fishery Order 1992 any mussel (Mytilus
edulis) less than 45mm in length but shall return such shellfish to the
sea immediately, as nearly as possible in the place from which they were taken,
or as directed by the Committee in any other designated area. In re-depositing
such shellfish in accordance with this regulation they shall spread thinly
and evenly upon the beds the riddlings, sortings and siftings arising from
the use of a riddle or other like instrument.
Dated: October 1992
Regulation No 2 amended 26.10.98