Fisheries Advisories

Each year we work with the UK Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs department (Defra) to produce and distribute Commercial Fisheries Advisories.

These are designed to assist the commercial fishing industry and fisheries management and enforcement agencies. They provide rapid access to the current legislative status of sharks, skates and rays in UK, EU and international waters.

For 2019 we've produced 29 Commercial Fisheries Advisories, which can be downloaded below. You may also find our Shark, Skate and Ray ID Guides useful.

► Download the Commercial Fisheries Advisory Poster for 2019 (pdf)

IMPORTANT INFORMATION:

1. TACs and restrictions for some species may have changed since 2018.
   
   
2. The Advisories are designed to assist commercial fishermen and fisheries management and enforcement agencies only.
   
   
3. Recreational anglers should be aware that there are restrictions on landing Tope in England, Scotland and Wales. And in English and Welsh waters, Angelshark, Basking Shark and White Skate are legally protected under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981. This applies out to 12 nautical miles.
   
   
4. Anglers in Scottish waters should be aware of landing restrictions for an extra 21 species of shark, skate and ray. See the Scottish Sharks, Skates and Rays Sea Angling Advisory. Click Here for Sea Angling Advisories.
   
   
5. Fishmarkets and seafood retailers should be aware that Porbeagle Shark (Lamna nasus) is now listed under Appendix II of CITES. This means Porbeagle can only be imported into the UK with an appropriate permit. For more information contact your relevant fisheries management organisation.
   
   
6. Legislation was correct as of March 2019. As TACs and quotas are met or altered, some Advisories may be subject to change. We'll issue updates as they arise.
   
   

BEST PRACTICE GUIDES:

► Shark Handling (pdf)

► Recording & Reporting Discards (pdf)

► Skate & Ray Handling (pdf)

► Best Practice for Sharks, Skates & Rays (pdf)

► Landings Obligations (pdf)

COMMERCIAL FISHERIES ADVISORIES:

SHARKS

► Angelshark / Monkfish (pdf)

► Basking Shark (pdf)

► Deepwater Sharks Prohibited (pdf)

► Deepwater Sharks Zero TAC (pdf)

► Hammerheads (pdf)

► Oceanic Whitetip Shark (pdf)

► Porbeagle Shark (pdf)

► Shortfin Mako (pdf)

► Silky Shark (pdf)

► Smooth Lanternshark (pdf)

► Spiny Dogfish / Spurdog (pdf)

► Thresher Sharks (pdf)

► Tope (pdf)

► White Shark (pdf)

► Atlantic & Global Sharks (pdf)

SKATES & RAYS:

► Black Skate (pdf)

► Blue Skate (pdf)

► Flapper Skate (pdf)

► Guitarfishes (pdf)

► Manta Rays (pdf)

► Mobula Rays (pdf)

► Sawfishes (pdf)

► Small-eyed Ray (pdf)

► Starry Skate (pdf)

► Thornback Ray (pdf)

► Undulate Ray (pdf)

► White Skate (pdf)

► Skate & Ray Reporting (pdf)

► Atlantic & Global Rays (pdf)

NORTHERN ENGLAND RESOURCES:

As part of a historic project, funded by the Co-operative, we created the resources below. Helping to support sustainability in Northern English shark and ray fisheries.

► ID Guide to Sharks, Skates and Rays in Northern English Waters (pdf)

► Pocket Guide to Sustainable Shark, Skate and Ray Fisheries in Northern English Waters (pdf)

► Pocket Guide Poster outlining species prohibited or restricted to commercial vessels in Northern English waters (pdf)

TRANSLATED COMMERICAL FISHERIES ADVISORIES

Our Commercial Fisheries Advisories are also available in french, german, spanish and dutch: