Title, commencement and application1.

(1)

The title of this Order is the Specified Crustaceans (Prohibition on Fishing, Landing, Sale and Carriage) (Wales) Order 2015 and it comes into force on 1 February 2016.

(2)

Subject to paragraph (3), this Order applies in relation to Wales.

(3)

Articles 3(f), (g), (h) and (i) and 6(1)(f) apply in relation to Wales and the Welsh zone.

Annotations:
Commencement Information

I1Art. 1 in force at 1.2.2016, see art. 1(1)

Interpretation2.

In this Order—

“the Act” (“y Ddeddf“) means the Sea Fish (Conservation) Act 19673;

F1...

“crawfish” (“cimwch coch”) means crawfish of the species Palinurus elephas and Palinurus mauritanicus;

“edible crab” (“cranc coch”) means crab of the species Cancer pagurus;

F1...

“green crab” (“cranc gwyrdd”) means crab of the species Carcinus maenas;

“lobster” (“cimwch”) means lobster of the species Homarus gammarus;

“mutilated” (“wedi ei lurgunio”) in relation to a lobster or crawfish, means a lobster or crawfish which is mutilated in such a manner as to obscure a V notch;

“size” (“maint”) means—

(a)

in relation to a crawfish, the length of the carapace, along the midline, from the tip of the central rostral spine to the distal edge of the carapace, as shown in Diagram 1 in the Schedule to this Order,

(b)

in relation to an edible crab, the width of the carapace measured across the broadest part of the back, as shown in Diagram 2 in the Schedule to this Order,

(c)

in relation to a lobster, the length of the carapace, measured parallel to the mid-line from the back of either eye socket to the distal edge of the carapace, as shown in Diagram 3 in the Schedule to this Order,

(d)

in relation to a spider crab, the length of the carapace, along the midline, from the edge of the carapace between the rostrums to the posterior edge of the carapace, as shown in Diagram 4 in the Schedule to this Order, and

(e)

in relation to a velvet crab, the width of the carapace measured across the broadest part, excluding spines, of the back, as shown in Diagram 2 in the Schedule to this Order;

“spider crab” (“cranc heglog”) means crab of the species Maia spp;

“velvet crab” (“cranc llygatgoch”) means crab of the species Necora puber;

“V notch” (“hollt v”) means a marking in the shape of a letter “V” cut into at least one of the five flaps of the tail of any lobster or crawfish, with the apex of the letter “V” positioned inward from the edge of the flap;

“Wales” (“Cymru”) has the same meaning as it has by virtue of section 158 of the Government of Wales Act 20065; and
“Welsh zone” (“parth Cymru”) has the same meaning as it has by virtue of section 158 of the Government of Wales Act 20066.

Fishing prohibition for specified crawfish, lobster, edible crab, spider crab and velvet crab3.

(1)

Fishing for—

(a)

crawfish with a size of less than 110 millimetres;

(b)

lobster with a size of less than 90 millimetres;

(c)

edible crab with a size of less than 140 millimetres;

(d)

female spider crab with a size of less than 120 millimetres;

(e)

male spider crab with a size of less than 130 millimetres;

(f)

velvet crab with a size of less than 65 millimetres;

(g)

a mutilated crawfish;

(h)

a mutilated lobster; or

(i)

any crawfish or lobster bearing a V notch, is prohibited.

F2(2)

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Prohibitions on landing of specified crawfish, lobster, edible crab, green crab, spider crab and velvet crab4.

(1)

For the purposes of section 1(1) of the Act (which prohibits the landing of any sea fish of any description which does not meet the requirements as to size as may be prescribed in relation to sea fish of that description), it is prescribed that the minimum size for—

(a)

crawfish, is 110 millimetres;

(b)

lobster, is 90 millimetres;

(c)

edible crab, is 140 millimetres;

(d)

female spider crab, is 120 millimetres;

(e)

male spider crab, is 130 millimetres; and

(f)

velvet crab, is 65 millimetres.

F3(2)

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

(3)

The landing of any—

(a)

mutilated crawfish;

(b)

mutilated lobster;

(c)

crawfish or lobster bearing a V notch; or

(d)

claw or other detached part of any edible crab, green crab, spider crab or velvet crab,

wherever caught, is prohibited.

F4(4)

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Prohibitions on sale, exposure or offer for sale or possession of specified crawfish, lobster, edible crab, spider crab and velvet crab5.

(1)

For the purposes of section 1(2) of the Act (which prohibits the sale, exposure or offer for sale or possession for the purpose of sale of any sea fish of any description which does not meet the requirements as to size as may be prescribed in relation to sea fish of that description), it is prescribed that the minimum size for—

(a)

crawfish, is 110 millimetres;

(b)

lobster, is 90 millimetres;

(c)

edible crab, is 140 millimetres;

(d)

female spider crab, is 120 millimetres;

(e)

male spider crab, is 130 millimetres; and

(f)

velvet crab, is 65 millimetres.

F5(2)

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

(3)

The sale, exposure or offer for sale of any—

(a)

mutilated crawfish;

(b)

mutilated lobster;

(c)

crawfish or lobster bearing a V notch; or

(d)

claw or other detached part of any edible crab, green crab, spider crab or velvet crab,

wherever caught, is prohibited.

F6(4)

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Prohibitions on carriage of specified crawfish, lobster, edible crab, green crab, spider crab and velvet crab F7...6.

(1)

For the purposes of section 1(3) of the Act (which prohibits the carriage on specified fishing boats of any sea fish of any description which does not meet the requirements as to size prescribed in relation to sea fish of that description), it is prohibited for a F8fishing boat to carry any—

(a)

crawfish with a size of less than 110 millimetres;

(b)

lobster with a size of less than 90 millimetres;

(c)

edible crab with a size of less than 140 millimetres;

(d)

female spider crab with a size of less than 120 millimetres;

(e)

male spider crab with a size of less than 130 millimetres; and

(f)

velvet crab with a size of less than 65 millimetres.

(2)

The carriage on a F9fishing boat in Wales of—

(a)

a mutilated crawfish;

(b)

a mutilated lobster;

(c)

any crawfish or lobster bearing a V notch;

(d)

a claw or any other detached part of an edible crab, a green crab, a spider crab or a velvet crab,

wherever caught, is prohibited.

Revocations and consequential amendments7.

(1)

The following Orders are revoked in relation to Wales—

(a)

the Undersized Crabs Order 19867;

(b)

the Undersized Crabs (Variation) Order 19898;

(c)

the Undersized Lobsters Order 19939;

(d)

the Lobster and Crawfish (Prohibition of Fishing and Landing) (Wales) Order 200210;

(e)

the Undersized Spider Crabs (Wales) Order 200211.

(2)

The Lobster and Crawfish (Prohibition of Fishing and Landing) Order 200012 is revoked in relation to the area of the Welsh zone that lies beyond Wales.

(3)

The Undersized Velvet Crabs Order 198913 is revoked in relation to Wales and the Welsh zone.

(4)

The following Byelaws of the former South Wales Sea Fisheries Committee14 are revoked in relation to Wales—

(a)

Byelaw 3 (Lobster – Minimum size)15;

(b)

Byelaw 5 (Protection of V-Notched Lobsters)16;

(c)

Byelaw 6 (Crabs – Minimum size)17;

(d)

Byelaw 7 (Crawfish – Minimum size)18; and

(e)

Byelaw 46 (Parts of Crustacean Shellfish)19.

(5)

The following Byelaws of the former North Western and North Wales Sea Fisheries Committee20 are revoked in relation to Wales—

(a)

Byelaw 29 (Minimum size of Lobster)21; and

(b)

Byelaw 31 (Protection of V-Notched Lobsters)22.

(6)

In the Marine and Coastal Access Act 2009 (Commencement No. 1, Consequential, Transitional and Savings Provisions) (England and Wales) Order 201023

(a)

in the Table in Schedule 3, delete the rows relating to Byelaws 3, 5, 6, 7 and 46; and

(b)

in the Table in Schedule 4, delete the rows relating to Byelaws 29 and 31.

(7)

In Byelaw 19 (Specified Fish Sizes)24 of the former North Western and North Wales Sea Fisheries Committee25, in the Table specifying minimum shellfish size, delete the rows relating to Crawfish (Palinurus spp), Edible Crab (Cancer pagurus), Lobster (Homarus gammarus), Spider Crab (Maja squinado) and Velvet Crab (Liocarcinus puber).
Annotations:
Commencement Information

I7Art. 7 in force at 1.2.2016, see art. 1(1)

Carl Sargeant
Minister for Natural Resources, one of the Welsh Ministers