Ministers set out EU bass limits for anglers until March

After negotiations that lasted late into the night, EU Ministers decided to maintain last year’s bass catch quotas for anglers fishing in the Northern and Southern seas during the first three months of 2021.

In Northern Atlantic waters (The North Sea, English Channel and North Atlantic) from now until the end of February catch-and-release only is permitted, while two bass per day will be permitted with a minimum size of 42cm during March.

In the Southern Atlantic a two bag limit remains for 2021. In France and Spain the total allowable catch for commercial and recreational fisherman in total has been set at 3,108 tonnes, a rise of 575 tons compared to last year.

Commissioner, Virginijus Sinkevičius, acknowledged the difficulties of this year’s TAC negotiations as a result of the COVID-19 crisis and the ongoing discussions between the EU and UK following Brexit.