Fisheries (Conservation of Coarse Fish) Byelaws (Northern Ireland) 2008

Made: 24th July 2008

Coming into operation: 15th September 2008

The Fisheries Conservancy Board for Northern Ireland, makes the following Byelaws, in exercise of the powers conferred on it by section 26(1) of the Fisheries Act (Northern Ireland) 1966[^f00001], and with the approval of the Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure[^f00002]:

Citation and commencement

1

These Byelaws may be cited as the Fisheries (Conservation of Coarse Fish) Byelaws (Northern Ireland) 2008[^f00003] and shall come into operation on 15th September 2008.

Interpretation

2

• (1) In these Byelaws—

• “angling” means the fishing for, taking or killing of fish by rod and line or hand line;

• “bait” means any material used on a hook for the purpose of attracting fish;

• “coarse fish” means any freshwater fish other than pike, salmon, rainbow trout, trout, eels or minnow;

• “hand-line” means a line held in the hand to which shall be attached not more than a single baited hook;

• “hook” means a hook attached to a fishing line.

• (2) In these Byelaws any reference to the size of any fish shall be construed as a reference to its length when measured from the tip of its snout to the fork or cleft of its tail.

Restrictions on angling for coarse fish

3

Where any person, whilst angling, takes any coarse fish in excess of four on any day, then he shall, without avoidable injury, cause such fish to be returned immediately to the water from which it was taken.

4

Where any person, whilst angling, takes any coarse fish of a size greater than 25 centimetres, then he shall, without avoidable injury, cause such fish to be returned immediately to the water from which it was taken.

5

A person shall not have in his possession more than four coarse fish caught by rod and line or hand line for use as bait in fishing for pike.

Signed

Sealed with the Official Seal of the Fisheries Conservancy Board on 3rd July 2008.

Dr. R. Hanna — K. A. Simpson (Mrs) — Chairman — Secretary

The Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure hereby approves the foregoing Byelaws.

Sealed with the Official Seal of the Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure on 24th July 2008.

H. Campbell — A senior officer of the Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure

Explanatory note

(This note is not part of the Byelaws)

EXPLANATORY NOTE

These Byelaws:—

1 require any person who takes in excess of four coarse fish in one day whilst angling, to return such fish immediately to the water from which it was taken without avoidable injury (Byelaw 3).

2 require any person who takes any coarse fish whilst angling, of a size greater than 25 centimetres to return it immediately to the water from which it was taken without avoidable injury (Byelaw 4);

3 require that a person shall not have in his possession more than four rod-caught coarse fish to use as bait when fishing for pike (Byelaw 5).

Footnotes

[^f00001]: 1966 c. 17 (N.I.); section 26(1) was amended by Article 8 (3) of the Fisheries (Amendment) (Northern Ireland) Order 1991 (S.I.1991/1466 (N.I. 13)) and by section 5 of the Fisheries (Amendment) Act (Northern Ireland) 2001 (2001 c. 4 (N.I)); section 37 was substituted by section 1 of, and Schedule 1 to, the Fisheries (Amendment) Act (Northern Ireland) 1968 (1968 c. 31 (N.I.)) and was amended by Article 9 of the Fisheries (Amendment) (Northern Ireland) Order 1991 and by section 6 of the Fisheries (Amendment) Act (Northern Ireland) 2001; sections 51(2), 52(2) and 72(1) were amended by S.R. 1983 No. 100; sections 114(1) (b) and 115 (1)(b) were amended by paragraph 5 of Schedule 3 to the Fisheries (Amendment) (Northern Ireland) Order 1991

[^f00002]: Functions transferred by virtue of S.R. 1999 No. 481 Article 3 and Schedule 1

[^f00003]: S.R. 2003 No. 525 as amended by S.R. 2004 No. 504, by S.R. 2005 No. 548, by S.R. 2006 No. 517 and by S.R. 2007 No. 471