Both consultations close Friday 5th March 2021.
The North Western Inshore Fisheries and Conservation Authority (NWIFCA) has approved and made 2 new byelaws and, in accordance with Defra’s byelaw making process, must now advertise these new byelaws and provide a consultation period before they can be signed by the Minister and brought into force.
Byelaw 1 Minimum Conservation Reference Sizes: This byelaw prohibits the removal, trans-shipment, landing, transport storage and sale of fish below specified sizes for the main species caught within the NWIFCA District. Exceptions for commercial fishing for certain pelagic shoaling species and for herring caught with a correctly set whitebait filter net are defined.
Click here to see more information including how to respond.
Byelaw 2 North Wirral Foreshore Bivalve Molluscs: This byelaw prohibits removal of any bivalve shellfish from a defined area of the Wirral foreshore to protect stocks overfished in 2020. An exception is included to allow for commercial cockle gathering under a NWIFCA Byelaw 3 permit.
Click here to see more information including how to respond.
Anyone wishing to object to the confirmation of either of the byelaws must send a statement of their objection in writing to both the Marine Management Organisation AND the North Western IFCA; more details are provide in the links above.
