The Marine Protected Areas (Prohibited Methods of Fishing) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2022

These Regulations may be cited as the Marine Protected Areas (Prohibited Methods of Fishing) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2022 and come into operation on 1st January 2023.

In these Regulations—

• “the Act” means the Fisheries Act (Northern Ireland) 1966;

• “Carlingford Lough Marine Conservation Zone” means the areas of the sea drawn by a series of straight lines joining each of the points lettered alphabetically in column 1 in Schedule 1, the coordinates which are set out in columns 2 and 3 opposite each point, to the next point in sequence, with a line drawn joining the final point in the sequence to the point lettered A in the sequence.

• “co-ordinate” means a co-ordinate on the World Geodetic System 1984 Datum and co-ordinate reference system3;

• “demersal mobile gear” means any fishing gear that is towed along the sea bed or is otherwise moved through the water on or close to the sea bed to catch fish, and includes, for example, a dredge, demersal seine net and demersal trawl net;

• “demersal seine net” means a fishing gear assembly incorporating a conical shaped net and ropes, constructed to catch fish by the method of encirclement, and which is towed along the sea bed by a fishing boat;

• “demersal trawl net” means a fishing gear assembly incorporating a conical shaped net, ropes and devices to hold open the mouth of the net, constructed to catch fish whilst being towed along the sea bed by a fishing boat;

• “dredge” means a mechanical dredge or suction dredge;

• “mechanical dredge” means a device with a rigid framed mouth constructed to catch shell-fish whilst being towed along the sea bed by a fishing boat;

• “Murlough Bay Special Area of Conservation” means the area of the sea drawn by a line joining each of the points lettered alphabetically in column 1 in Schedule 2, the coordinates which are set out in columns 2 and 3 opposite each point,

• “Outer Belfast Lough Marine Conservation Zone” means the area of the sea drawn by a series of straight lines joining each of the points lettered alphabetically in column 1 in Schedule 3, the coordinates which are set out in columns 2 and 3 opposite each point, to the next point in sequence, with a line drawn joining the final point in the sequence to the point lettered A in the sequence.

• “Rathlin Island restricted area” means the area of the sea drawn by a series of straight lines joining each of the points lettered alphabetically in column 1 in Schedule 4A, the coordinates which are set out in columns 2 and 3 opposite each point, to the next point in sequence.

• “Rathlin Island Special Area of Conservation and Marine Conservation Zone” means the area of the sea drawn by a series of straight lines joining each of the points lettered alphabetically in column 1 in Schedule 4, the coordinates which are set out in columns 2 and 3 opposite each point, to the next point in sequence, with a line drawn joining the final point in the sequence to the point lettered A in the sequence.

• “Red Bay Special Area of Conservation” means the areas of the sea drawn by a series of straight lines joining each of the points lettered alphabetically in column 1 in Schedule 5, the coordinates which are set out in columns 2 and 3 opposite each point, to the next point in sequence.

• “Skerries and Causeway exempted areas” means the areas of sea drawn by a series of straight lines joining each of the points lettered alphabetically in column 1 in each table in Schedule 6A, the coordinates which are set out in columns 2 and 3 opposite each point, to the next point in sequence, with a line drawn joining the final point in the sequence to the point lettered A in the sequence.

• “Skerries and Causeway restricted area” means the area of sea south of Great Skerries Island which is bounded by a series of straight lines joining each of the points lettered alphabetically in column 1 in Schedule 6B, the coordinates which are set out in columns 2 and 3 opposite each point, to the next point in sequence.

• “Skerries and Causeway Special Area of Conservation” means the areas of the sea drawn by a series of straight lines joining each of the points lettered alphabetically in column 1 in Schedule 6, the coordinates which are set out in columns 2 and 3 opposite each point, to the next point in sequence.

• “static gear” means any pot, creel, receptacle or container with one or more openings or entrances and which is capable of being left at sea to catch crustaceans or molluscs.

• “Strangford Lough Marine Conservation Zone restricted area” means the areas of the sea southwest of an imaginary line drawn from Killard Point to Ballyquintin Point which is bounded by a series of straight lines joining each of the points lettered alphabetically in column 1 in Schedule 7, the coordinates which are set out in columns 2 and 3 opposite each point, to the next point in sequence;

• “single pot” means a pot or creel not connected to another pot or creel by a rope;

• “suction dredge” means—

  1. a

     a dredge which raises material or shell-fish from the sea bed using a solids pump, water pump, air lift, air jets or water jets which dig into the sea bed; or

  2. b

     any other mechanical, pneumatic or hydraulic device which raises material or shell-fish from the sea bed by means of suction or pumping;

• “The Maidens Special Areas of Conservation” means the areas of the sea drawn by a series of straight lines joining each of the points lettered alphabetically in column 1 of each table in Schedule 8, the coordinates which are set out in columns 2 and 3 opposite each point, to the next point in sequence, with a line drawn joining the final point in the sequence to the point lettered A in the sequence; and

• “Waterfoot Marine Conservation Zone” means the area of the sea drawn by a series of straight lines joining each of the points lettered alphabetically in column 1 in Schedule 9, the coordinates which are set out in columns 2 and 3 opposite each point, to the next point in sequence, with a line drawn joining the final point in the sequence to the point lettered A in the sequence.