Sea trout netting

Fish Legal is representing the Bass Anglers Sportfishing Society in a case against the Sussex Inshore Fisheries Conservation Association (IFCA) concerning a byelaw for fixed nets. The IFCA put out a new byelaw for consultation which included exclusion zones and depth criteria to protect migrating sea trout, but then its committee resolved to approve a materially different byelaw which gives less protection, is thought to be unenforceable and was not subject to proper  consultation. Fish Legal has written to the Secretary of State and the Marine Management Organisation arguing that the byelaw should not be approved as it would do a worse job for fixed nets than the current law.