Southern IFCA To Look Again At Raising Bass Minimum Landing Size

Angling Trust news release

The Southern Inshore Fishery and Conservation Authority's Technical and Advisory committee (TAC) will be discussing the benefits to the region of increasing the minimum landing size for bass in the region which covers Dorset, Hampshire and the Isle of Wight.

The Bass Anglers' Sportfishing Society, with support from the Angling Trust, will be leading the call to raise the minimum landing size of bass to 48cm.

The meeting, on Thursday November 17th, 2011, is open to all members of the public and will be held at Bournemouth Town Hall. The TAC will then report to the full Southern IFCA committee at their next public meeting at 2.00pm on Thursday 15th December in the Council Chamber, Poole Civic Centre. The full committee have the power to make a byelaw to change the bass MLS in its area. Again, this meeting is open to all members of the public as observers.

The Bass Anglers' Sportfishing Society, with support from the Angling Trust, will be leading the call for the committee to raise the minimum landing size to 48cm - the size needed to ensure that a bass taken at any time of year should have spawned at least once. If you can, make sure you attend these meetings and show the local authority the level of support there is for these proposals from anglers.

For more information visit www.ukbass.com and www.southern-ifca.gov.uk

Bass picture © Cefas.