UK Minimum size limits
Make sure you have the latest size guidance!
Keeping healthy fish stocks is very important, over the years fish populations have dropped considerably. Keeping fish under minimum size will result in fines and cause pressure on dwindling populations. Release a fish and give it a chance to grow, it could be the next record in years to come. (keep a regular check on minimum sizes as they can change along with certain size catch and release)
| Species | Min size CM |
Min size Inch |
Notes |
| Bass | 42 | 16 1/2 | Catch and release only in January, February and December 2022. Anglers limited to retaining two bass (of minimum size) per day in all other months |
| Black Bream | 24 |
9 1/2 |
|
| Brill | 35 | 14 | |
| Bull Huss | 58 | 23 | |
| Coalfish | 35 | 14 | |
| Cod | 35 | 14 | |
| Conger Eel | 91 | 36 | Usually released by anglers due to spawning patterns. |
| Dab | 20 | 8 | |
| Dogfish | 38 | 15 | |
| Flounder | 27 | 10 | |
| Garfish | 38 | 15 | |
| Gurnard (Tub) | 28 | 11 | |
| Haddock | 30 | 12 | |
| Hake | 30 | 12 | |
| Herring | 20 | 8 | |
| Ling | 63 | 25 | |
| Mackerel | 30 | 12 | |
| Megrim | 20 | 8 | |
| Mullet | 33 | 13 | Applies to thin lipped grey, thick lipped grey and golden grey. |
| Mullet (Red) | 20 | 8 | |
| Plaice | 27 | 10 | |
| Pollock | 30 | 12 | |
| Poor Cod | 18 | 7 1/2 | |
| Pouting | 18 | 7 1/2 | |
| Ray | 41 | 16 | Catch and release ray species. |
| Rockling | 18 | 7 1/2 | |
| Scad | 25 | 10 | |
| Silver Eel | 38 | 15 | This species needs to be released if it is caught by anglers. |
| Skate | 41 | 16 | Any skate caught by anglers are released. |
| Sole | 24 | 9 1/2 | |
| Smoothound | 51 | 20 | |
| Spurdog | 58 | 23 | Recommended that all spurdog are released. |
| Turbot | 41 | 16 | |
| Whiting | 27 | 11 | |
| Wrasse | 23 | 9 |