Dorset Fisheries
 

 Fishery Management in Dorset

Under the Marine and Coastal Access Act 2009, the Southern Inshore Fisheries and Conservation Authority (SIFCA) is responsible for the inshore waters, up to 6 nautical miles. SIFCA officers enforce European and National fisheries legislation as well as their own byelaws. The SIFCA district covers the area between the Devon and Sussex borders and is one of the few in the UK that do not allow boats over 12 metres to fish within 6 miles of the coast. This means that the seafood caught here is from small boats which would generally have less impact on the seabed and associated wildlife. The fishing is predominantly potting for crabs and lobsters, while other Dorset fisheries include rod and line fishing for sea bass and bream, and diver-picked scallops. These fishing methods are more selective and less damaging to the environment than others.

SIFCA enforce byelaws for conservation and fishery management measures, ranging from fishery closure seasons, licensing and minimum landing sizes for commercial species. The SIFCA Wheelhouse Card for minimum permissible landing sizes of commercial species can be downloaded here (PDF).

 Review of fishing practices in Dorset

With the help of SIFCA, Dorset Wildlife Trust is currently examining the range of fishing practices in Dorset to assess their impact upon the marine environment. This information will grow along the course of the campaign and will detail how local seafood is caught, where it ends up and how well the fishery is managed. This will allow you to make informed choices and to identify Great Dorset Seafood; ensuring what you buy is local, high quality and is contributing towards a thriving inshore fishing industry in Dorset.

Initially, we are recommending pot-caught shellfish, rod and line caught fish and hand or diver picked shellfish and some basic information on these and other fishing methods are shown. As this work progresses, we will be adding much more detail to the tables and recommending more species and/or fishing methods.

All Dorset Wildlife Trust recommended fisheries are labelled with the Great Dorset Seafood logo (see logo on right).

Search the "Know Your Fish" Guide HERE

Search the "Dorset Fishers Directory" HERE

Spider Crab by Trevor Rees

Look out for the
Great Dorset Seafood Logo