New Tope and Rays By-Laws

[Guest toplessfishing]

Can anyone explain the new tope and rays by-laws for me, or put a relevant links up.

Thanks.

[Leon Roskilly]

Can anyone explain the new tope and rays by-laws for me, or put a relevant links up.

Thanks.

 

see menu at left of page at: http://www.sacn.org.uk

 

and information and discussions at : http://www.save-our-sharks.org/

Edited August 20, 2006 by Leon Roskilly

[Guest toplessfishing]

Thank you for that link but its just a page of adds for credit cards and the like.

[Leon Roskilly]

Thank you for that link but its just a page of adds for credit cards and the like.

 

 

OOOps!

 

Should have been http://www.sacn.org.uk

 

Corrected now :-)

[Guest toplessfishing]

Still found nothing regarding the new tope and ray buy laws.

I tried putting new tope and ray buy laws into the SACN search engine, but still nothing.

I would be greatfull to be educated on the subject as I fish for thornback rays and would be really upset if I was breaking any laws made for conservation.

[Leon Roskilly]

Although a number of Sea Fisheries Committees are in various stages of introducing byelaws for the protection of tope, the only byelaws currently in place are those that apply in the North Eastern Sea Fisheries Committee District.

 

See:

 

http://www.eastriding.gov.uk/az/face_conte..._media=INTERNET

 

DEFRA are currently consulting on protection for tope in England and the Welsh Government Assembly for Wales, but these proposals are not yet implemented.

Edited August 20, 2006 by Leon Roskilly

[Guest toplessfishing]

Thats good news for tope in that area, but I still didnt see rays mentioned.

[Leon Roskilly]

Very little protection for rays currently I'm afraid, although Southern SFC are consulting on possible byelaws which will increase protection for all elasmobranches, and other SFCs are looking at closed areas etc.

 

If unsure, it's always best to check with your local Sea Fisheries Committee.

 

See: http://www.defra.gov.uk/fish/sea/others/sfc.htm

[Ian Burrett]

Thats good news for tope in that area, but I still didnt see rays mentioned.

 

As Leon Says check with your local SFC for minimum landing sizes for Thornbacks. Some like the Cumbria SFC have a higher MLS than the Defra recommendation

[GowerRay]

Quote from the South Wales SFC: BYELAWS

 

 

10. SKATE AND RAY - MINIMUM SIZE confirmed 4/12/97

No person shall take or otherwise remove from a fishery within any part of the South Wales Sea Fisheries Committee District any skate or ray that measures less than 40 centimetres between the extreme tips of the wings or any wing which measures less than 20 centimetres on its maximum dimension and which is detached from the body. Skate and ray below this size shall be returned immediately to the sea at a position as nearby as is possible from where they were taken.

 

Thirty-six months following the date the confirmation of this byelaw [i.e. 4/12/2000] the aforementioned 40 centimetres minimum size shall become 45 centimetres and the aforementioned 20 centimetres minimum size shall become 22 centimetres.'

 

They have done a lot of work on Skate and Rays and I believe they intend to update the above bye-law in the future. I know the Director of the SFC believes they are leaders as regards SFC's when it comes to these species. He's not a bad guy.