UK raises bass bag limit, removes spurdog ban

Here’s the short version for your classroom or crew. The UK has updated sea fisheries rules for 2026: the daily bag limit for recreational European seabass rises from two to three, and picked dogfish (spurdog) is removed from the prohibited‑species list in EU Regulation 2020/123, which the UK carries as assimilated law. The Regulations apply UK‑wide and are signed by the Defra Minister of State, Dame Angela Eagle. (gov.uk)

Dates to remember. The instrument was made on 5 February 2026, laid on 6 February and comes into force on 27 February 2026 (as recorded on legislation.gov.uk). Note that 1 February to 31 March remains a catch‑and‑release window for bass, so the three‑fish rule will first matter from 1 April 2026 when retention resumes. (gov.uk)

What a bag limit means for you. It’s the maximum number you can keep in a day when fishing for recreation. For bass in 2026, the closed period and the 42 cm minimum size still apply; what changes is the daily number, moving from two to three once the catch‑and‑release window ends. (gov.uk)

What a ‘prohibited species’ list does. Article 16 of Regulation 2020/123 names fish you cannot target, keep or land. Until now that included ‘picked dogfish’ (spurdog). The UK is removing that listing and shifting control to quota and licence conditions instead. (eur-lex.europa.eu)

Licence conditions do the day‑to‑day work. Since 2023, the Marine Management Organisation has managed spurdog through vessel licence variations, including monthly landing caps, and a 100 cm maximum landing size in guidance. Expect those conditions to continue and be updated through the year. (gov.uk)

Where the powers come from. Section 36 of the Fisheries Act 2020 lets ministers amend fisheries rules; section 40 requires consent from Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland for UK‑wide provisions, and section 41 requires consultation. This SI also relies on section 15 of the Retained EU Law (Revocation and Reform) Act 2023 to update assimilated law to reflect developments in scientific understanding. (legislation.gov.uk)

Why change spurdog rules now? Scientific advice led the UK and EU to reopen a tightly controlled spurdog fishery from 2023 and to work towards removing it from prohibited lists. The 2026 UK step fits that pattern, with caution built into licensing and quotas. (gov.scot)

Quick refresher for students: a Statutory Instrument (SI) is secondary legislation used to put an Act into practice or adjust technical details. SIs are brief, targeted and published with an explanatory note-useful when you’re revising or teaching this topic. (parliament.uk)

What this means if you fish for bass. Between 1 February and 31 March 2026 you must release bass. From 1 April 2026, you may retain up to three per day at or above 42 cm, in the specified ICES areas; nursery areas can have extra catch‑and‑release‑only periods, so always check local rules. (gov.uk)

What this means if you’re a skipper encountering spurdog. Check your licence for monthly limits, record landings correctly and note any size rules where they apply. The Article 16 prohibition goes, but licence conditions and quotas still govern what you can land. (gov.uk)

Media‑literacy tip. Track the chain: parent Acts provide the powers, EU Regulation 2020/123 holds the original bass and prohibited‑species rules, the UK SI edits those Articles, and the MMO writes licence conditions. Reading across sources gives you the full picture. (legislation.gov.uk)

Terminology tip for your notes. ‘Picked dogfish’, ‘spurdog’ and ‘spiny dogfish’ all refer to Squalus acanthias; policy papers use all three names, so search with each term when you’re researching. (gov.scot)