Diving for crabs and lobsters - Byelaws

As well as the minimum landing sizes there are limits on how many crabs and lobsters you are allowed to keep:-

A maximum of eight shellfish (crustaceans) per boat can be kept in a days diving regardless of how many are on the boat:

This includes only one lobster or crawfish (crayfish) per person up to a maximum of eight shellfish in total

For example: (maximum catch quotas per boat)

A maximum of 8 shellfish is allowed per boat regardless of how many are on the boat or:-

1 person on a boat: 1 lobster or crawfish plus 7 crabs = 8 shellfish.

2 persons on a boat: 2 lobsters or crawfish plus 6 crabs = 8 shellfish.

3 persons on a boat: 3 lobsters or crawfish plus 5 crabs = 8 shellfish.

Since there must be a minimum of four persons on a dive boat;

4 persons on a boat: 4 lobsters or crawfish plus 4 crabs = 8 shellfish.

5 persons on a boat: 5 lobsters or crawfish plus 3 crabs = 8 shellfish.

6 persons on a boat: 6 lobsters or crawfish plus 2 crabs = 8 shellfish.

7 persons on a boat: 7 lobsters or crawfish plus 1 crab = 8 shellfish.

8 persons or more on a boat: a total of 8 lobsters, crawfish or crabs = 8 shellfish.

Note: Any combination of lobsters and crawfish is allowed up to the maximum permitted.

The above does not apply to molluscs e.g. Scallops.

V notched lobsters and crawfish

Lobsters or crawfish with either V notched or mutilated or missing tails are protected by law and MUST be returned to the sea immediately.

V notched lobsters are breeding females and are thus protected to spawn again.

The Scallop Season

RESTRICTION ON FISHING FOR SCALLOPS confirmed 4/12/97

No person shall fish for or take or otherwise remove from any part of a fishery within the South Wales Sea Fisheries Committee District, scallops of the species Pecten maximus between 1 July and 31 October, both days inclusive, in each year.

LOBSTER - MINIMUM SIZE confirmed 14/04/98
No person shall take or otherwise remove from any part of a fishery within the South Wales Sea Fisheries Committee District any lobster (Homarus gammarus) of less than 90 mm carapace length.

The carapace (body shell) shall be measured parallel to the mid line, from the rear of either eye socket to the distal edge of the carapace.

Lobsters of below this size shall be returned immediately to the sea at a position as nearby as is possible from where they were taken.

PROTECTION OF V-NOTCHED LOBSTERS confirmed 14/4/98
No person shall fish for or take any V-notched or mutilated lobster of the species Hommarus gammarus. Any lobster so marked shall be returned immediately to the sea.

For the purpose of this byelaw: 'V-notch' means an indentation in the shape of the letter 'v' made in any one or more of the five flaps of the tail fan of the lobster.

'Mutilated lobster' means any lobster which has any of the five flaps of the tail fan missing or mutilated in such a manner that could hide or obliterate a V-notch.
'Flap' means any part of the five flaps of the tail fan of the lobster.

CRABS - MINIMUM SIZE confirmed 4/12/97
No person shall take or otherwise remove from any part of a fishery within the South Wales Sea Fisheries Committee District any crab of the species Cancer pagurus, which measures less than 140 mm across the broadest part of the back.

Crabs of below this size shall be returned immediately to the sea at a position as nearby as is possible from where they were taken.

CRAWFISH - MINIMUM SIZE confirmed 4/12/97
No person shall take or otherwise remove from a fishery within any part of the South Wales Sea Fisheries Committee District any Crawfish (Palinurus elephas) with a length of less than 110 millimetres being the length measured along the centre line of the carapace (body shell) from the tip of the central rostral spine to the distal edge of the carapace.

Crawfish of below this size shall be returned immediately to the sea at a position as nearby as is possible from where they were taken.

SCALLOPS - MINIMUM SIZE confirmed 4/12/97
No person shall take or otherwise remove from any part of a fishery within the South Wales Sea Fisheries Committee District any scallop of the species Pecten maximus which measures less than 110 mm across the width of the shell nor any part of any scallop which is detached from the shell.

Scallops of less than this size shall be returned immediately to the sea at a position as nearby as possible from where they were taken.

OTHER SHELLFISH - MINIMUM SIZES confirmed 4/12/97
No person shall take or otherwise remove from any part of a fishery within the South Wales Sea Fisheries Committee District:-

• Any oyster of the species Ostrea edulis known as the European flat oyster that will pass through a gauge having a circular opening of 70 mm in diameter.
  
  
• Any mussel (Mytilus edulis) of less than 51 mm in length.
  
  
• Any cockle (Cerastoderma edule) that will pass through the gauge of a riddle or like instrument used for the purpose of riddling, sorting or sifting cockles which has an aperture 19 mm square.
  
  
• Any whelk (Buccinum undatum) which would pass through a riddle or any like instrument having bars which are square in section and which are not less than 35mm apart.

Shellfish, the taking or removal of which is prohibited by this byelaw, shall be returned immediately to the sea at a position as nearby as is possible from where they were taken.

PROHIBITED AREA FOR SCALLOP FISHING - SKOMER confirmed 4/12/97
No person shall fish for, take or land any scallop of the species Pecten maximus or of the species Chlamys opercularis from the area detailed below.

From the northern point of Gateholm Island due North to the mainland.

From the southern point of Gateholm Island a straight line in a direction 278° to a position 2.75 cables due south of the western extremity of Mew Stone, thence 2.75 cables off the mainland shore of Skomer around the west coast of the Island to a position 2 cables due north of the Garland Stone, thence a straight line in a direction of 098° to a position 51°44.5'N,05°lYW, thence due south to the mainland coast. (see map below - the boundary is marked as: T T T T T T T T T).

The boundary marks for the Skomer Marine Reserve

Pecten maximus, common name the "Great Scallop" or "King Scallop", is a species of scallop, an edible saltwater clam, a marine bivalve mollusc in the family Pectinidae, the scallops.

Recorded around most coasts of Britain and Ireland. Usually found in a shallow depression in the seabed. Prefers areas of clean firm sand, fine or sandy gravel and may occasionally be found on muddy sand.

Chlamys opercularis, common name the "Queen Scallop" or “Queenie" is sometimes just referred to as a "clam" and is also an edible saltwater, bivalve mollusc in the Pectinidae family found in British waters.

An expensive and highly prized delicacy, the Queen Scallop is the subject of intensive fishing activity.

Diver caught scallops are much more environmentally friendly than dredged scallops and some supermarkets and restaurants will only supply scallops caught by this method.