Mesh size changes are the order of the day
2026 Supplementary Fishing Measures
To help certain fish populations recover, the EU and the UK have agreed to introduce extra fishing rules for 2026. These rules add to the existing laws and specifically target the Celtic Sea, the English Channel, and the Irish Sea.
Celtic Sea Protection Zone
Scientific experts recommend that no cod, haddock, or whiting be caught in the Celtic Seas in 2026. To help these species recover, strict rules will apply in the Celtic Sea Protection Zone (specifically covering areas 7f, 7g, the northern part of 7h, and the northeast part of 7j):
Standard trawls and seines: Vessels using otter trawls or seines must use either a 120mm cod-end, or a 110mm cod-end paired with a 120mm square-mesh panel.
UK exceptions for standard trawls: In UK waters east of the 5 degrees West line, an 80mm cod-end is allowed if paired with a 120mm square-mesh panel, provided cod, haddock, and saithe make up less than 10% of the trip's total catch. Inside 12 nautical miles of the UK coastline in area 7f, vessels can use a 100mm cod-end with either a 100mm square-mesh panel or a single-twine net up to 5mm thick.
Targeting anglerfish, hake, and megrim: If these species make up more than 55% of the catch, vessels must use a 100mm cod-end with a 100mm square-mesh panel. In EU waters, a 100mm "T90" cod-end and extension is an acceptable alternative.
Targeting Norway lobster: If Norway lobster makes up more than 30% of the catch, vessels must use an 80mm cod-end paired with a specialized escape device.
Approved escape devices: Acceptable devices include a Nordmøre sorting grid (a rigid grid with bars spaced up to 35mm apart and a 120mm square-mesh panel), a Netgrid device (an inclined 200mm diamond-mesh net with a top escape hole), or a SELTRA 300mm square-mesh sorting box (a 3-meter long box section with a wide mesh top).
Temporary escape devices: Vessels may use a 300mm square-mesh panel instead, but only until the end of 2026 while authorities test how well it avoids catching cod, haddock, and whiting. Any other unlisted device must be proven equally effective and approved by a joint technical group.
The English Channel
Cod, sole, and plaice populations are severely depleted across the entire Channel (areas 7d and 7e), alongside haddock and whiting in the Western Channel (area 7e). The following rules apply for 2026:
Standard trawls in the Western Channel (7e): Vessels using otter trawls or seines must use a minimum 100mm cod-end. In EU waters, this specific rule applies when cod, haddock, whiting, and saithe make up more than 25% of the catch.
UK exceptions in the Western Channel (7e): In UK waters west of 5 degrees West, vessels must also use a 100mm square-mesh panel. Inside 12 nautical miles of the UK coast, the 100mm cod-end can be made of single twine up to 5mm thick.
Upgrading smaller mesh gear (7d and 7e): Vessels that previously used cod-ends smaller than 100mm must now upgrade to at least a 90mm cod-end. This affects beam trawls, otter trawls, and seines in the Western Channel (7e), and beam trawls and seines in the Eastern Channel (7d).
EU catch rules for smaller mesh: In EU waters, the 90mm rule applies if sole and plaice make up more than 30% of the catch, as long as cod, haddock, whiting, and saithe remain under 25%.
UK exceptions for smaller vessels: In UK waters across the Channel, beam trawls can still use an 80mm cod-end if the vessel is 12 meters or shorter and has an engine power of 221kw or less.
Existing safety measures: All prior selectivity measures still apply. For example, beam trawls in the Western Channel must continue using a net panel with at least a 180mm mesh size in the upper front part of the net.
Future updates: Authorities plan to introduce further rules for otter trawls in the Eastern Channel (7d) by mid-2026, aiming to increase the minimum cod-end size to 90mm.
The Irish Sea
Whiting and cod stocks are critically low in the Irish Sea (area 7a). The following rules apply for 2026:
Targeting Norway lobster: Vessels using otter trawls or seines where Norway lobster makes up more than 30% of the catch must use an 80mm cod-end. However, single-rig vessels have a special exemption and may use a 70mm cod-end.
Required escape devices: All vessels targeting Norway lobster must also use an approved selective gear. This includes a Nordmøre sorting grid, a Netgrid device, or a SELTRA 300mm square-mesh sorting box.
Temporary devices: Vessels may use a 300mm square-mesh panel until the end of 2026 while its effectiveness is tested. Smaller vessels (under 12 meters in length) are allowed to use a 200mm square-mesh panel during this testing period instead.
Alternative devices: Any other gear must be approved by a technical group and proven just as effective at avoiding cod and whiting.
General Rules and Implementation
Calculating catch percentages: Catch proportions are determined by the live weight of all marine life kept on board at the end of each fishing trip.
