Eastern IFCA Whelk Technical Summary Report: https://www.eastern-ifca.gov.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/Whelk-Technical-Summary-Report-.pdf

Kent and Essex IFCA size-at-maturity of the common whelk: https://www.kentandessex-ifca.gov.uk/website-content/emffwhelk-report-2021-final-1695288305.pdf

Since 2014 the Potting Permit Byelaw requires a permit is applied for in order to set pots in the District. This applies to commercial and recreational fishers.

See  Current Permit Byelaws & Permit Conditions - Devon and Severn IFCA    for details of all permit conditions for these three specie

No restrictions on the quantity of whelks that can be landed. All whelks under the minimum conservation reference size of 45mm should be returned to the sea

No restrictions on the quantity of whelks that can be landed. All whelks under the minimum conservation reference size of 45mm should be returned to the sea

Management measures in place since 2012 with the latest byelaw introduced in 2020 - the Whelk Fishery Flexible Permit Byelaw. The purpose of this byelaw is to provide protection against over exploitation of whelk stocks within the Authority's district by prohibiting the setting of whelk pots without a permit and restricting the number of whelk pots that may be set. There are two categories of permit for commercial and recreational fishers for which a fee is payable.

No restrictions on the quantity of whelks that can be landed. All whelks under the minimum conservation reference size of 45mm should be returned to the sea

The Sussex IFCA Shellfish Permit Byelaw requires that a permit, for which a fee is payable, is applied for commercial fishers wishing to fish for whelks.

See Microsoft Word - Shellfish permit byelaw.docx (toolkitfiles.co.uk) for details of all permit conditions for this species

Whelk Permit Byelaw 2016: https://www.eastern-ifca.gov.uk/whelk-permit-byelaw-2016/

Permitting Byelaw

Requires pots be tagged and marked with buoys

Requires monthly returns

The ‘Permit to fish for Lobster, Crab, Velvet Crab, and Whelk Byelaw Lobster, Crawfish and Crab Fishing Permit Byelaw’ requires a permit is applied for by commercial and recreational fishers in order to fish for any of these species.

Commercial

• No restrictions on the quantity of whelks that can be landed
• Commercial permit scheme
  • 800 pot limit
  • Mandatory permit returns detailing catch and effort
• 45mm minimum size

Recreational:

• Catch limit of 20 whelks per day
• 45mm minimum size
• Recreational permit scheme
  • 5 pot limit
  • An escape gap must be located unobstructed in the exterior wall of the pot which must allow for a rigid box shaped gauge which measures 80 millimetres wide by 46 millimetres high to easily pass through, and be located in the lowest practically possible part of the pot, other than I the bottom.

Byelaw 4 – Potting Permit 2020 (https://www.nw-ifca.gov.uk/app/uploads/Byelaw-4-document.pdf.pdf) came into force in 2022. The byelaw requires all recreational and commercial fishers to have a permit to fish for crab, lobster, and whelk.

Closed permit system as of 2019. Fishers with a track record (5 tonnes landed over 4 years between 2015 and 2018 in a specified areas) could apply for 1000 pots. Those without track record and <10 m could apply for 400 pots.

Minimum Landing Size specified in the Flexible Permit conditions: 55 mm for first year, then increasing to 65 mm in the second, and 75 mm in the third year post introduction of the byelaw. Current MLS 65 mm (2023).