Firth of Clyde fishing ban starts 14 Feb 2026

Scotland has confirmed new fishing restrictions in the Firth of Clyde. The Sea Fish (Prohibition on Fishing) (Firth of Clyde) Order 2026 was made on 14 January 2026, laid before the Scottish Parliament on 16 January 2026, and will come into force on 14 February 2026. We explain what it means so you can read the legal text with confidence. The Order is signed by Mairi Gougeon on 14 January 2026.

A quick primer: a statutory instrument is a law made by ministers using powers granted by an Act of Parliament. Here, Scottish Ministers use sections 5(1)(a), 5(2) and 20(1) of the Sea Fish (Conservation) Act 1967 to set temporary closures aimed at conserving sea fish. When the document says “made”, it means signed; “laid” means presented to Parliament; and “coming into force” is the date the rules start to apply.

The closure covers three mapped areas. ‘Area A’ is the overall closed zone in the Scottish zone of the Firth of Clyde, drawn using three boundary lines set out by co-ordinates in the Schedule. Within that, ‘Area B’ and ‘Area C’ are smaller blocks defined by six and fourteen boundary lines respectively. The Order provides an illustrative map and full co-ordinates so skippers can plot the lines accurately.

The main rule sits in article 3: fishing for sea fish by any method by any British fishing boat is prohibited in Area A until the end of 13 February 2029. That is a multi-year restriction designed to give the stock breathing space. The Order applies only to British fishing boats as defined in UK shipping law.

There are targeted exemptions to keep some local activity going. A “relevant British fishing boat”-that is, a vessel that fished in Area A and landed sea fish at least once between 1 January 2023 and 31 December 2025-may fish in the parts of Area A that are outside Areas B and C. The same relevant boats may also fish in Areas B and C, but only during set periods: from 1 May 2026 to 13 February 2027, from 1 May 2027 to 13 February 2028, and from 1 May 2028 to 13 February 2029. Outside those windows, Areas B and C remain closed.

Scientific work is protected. Operations carried out for the purpose of scientific investigation can take place under the authority of the Scottish Ministers. This keeps monitoring and research going while conservation measures are in force.

If you are working out whether your vessel qualifies, keep your evidence in order. Logbooks, landing notes and sales dockets showing at least one landing from Area A between 2023 and 2025 will matter. What this means in practice: if you cannot show that history, you cannot use the exemptions and you must stay out of Area A, B and C once the Order starts.

Penalties for breaking these rules come from the Sea Fish (Conservation) Act 1967. On summary conviction the court can impose a fine of up to £50,000; on indictment the fine is unlimited. In either case the court may order forfeiture of any fish involved and any nets or gear used. On summary conviction, if the court does not order the fish to be forfeited, it may add a further fine up to the value of the fish.

These closures sit alongside other protections in the area. The South Arran Marine Conservation Order 2015 sets separate restrictions within part of Area A, so you must check both sets of rules and follow the stricter one where they overlap. The Order also revokes the 2024 Firth of Clyde closure, replacing it with the new multi-year framework.

Here is the timeline you can plan around. The new rules start on 14 February 2026; the first seasonal opening for relevant boats in Areas B and C starts on 1 May 2026 and runs until 13 February 2027, repeating on the same dates in 2027–2028 and 2028–2029. Unless the law changes again, the general prohibition in Area A is scheduled to last until 13 February 2029. An explanatory Business and Regulatory Impact Assessment has been prepared and can be accessed via the Scottish Government Marine Directorate and legislation.gov.uk.