The Orkney Islands (Landing of Crabs and Lobsters) Order 2016

EXPLANATORY NOTE

(This note is not part of the Order)

This Order makes provision so as to prescribe minimum sizes for the landing of certain species of crabs and lobsters in the Orkney Islands; and so as to prohibit the landing in Scotland of a specified description of crab caught in waters surrounding the Orkney Islands.

Article 3 amends the Undersized Velvet Crabs Order 1989 so as to prescribe a minimum size (carapace width of 70 millimetres) for the landing of velvet crabs in the Orkney Islands.

Article 4 amends the Undersized Lobsters (Scotland) Order 2000 so as to prescribe a minimum size (carapace length of 88 millimetres, increasing to 90 millimetres) for the landing of lobsters in the Orkney Islands.

Article 5 prescribes a minimum size (carapace width of 70 millimetres) for the landing of green crabs in the Orkney Islands.

Article 6 prohibits the landing in Scotland of egg-bearing female velvet crabs, caught in Scottish inshore waters surrounding the Orkney Islands. These waters are described in Schedule 2 and are shown on the illustrative map appended to this note.

The prescribed minimum landing sizes and the prohibition set out in article 6 apply only to landings from British fishing boats.

This Order is made in accordance with the procedure set out in Article 46 of Council Regulation (EC) No. 850/98 (OJ L 125, 27.4.1998, p.1) for the conservation of fishery resources through technical measures for the protection of juveniles of marine organisms (“the Council Regulation”). Article 46 of the Council Regulation authorises Member States to take certain national measures for the conservation and management of local stocks.