Closed area · North Eastern IFCA
Dredging prohibited
Byelaw XXIII: Method and area of fishing (Scallop dredges) 2015 · in force since 2015-12-17
A CAUGHT review has read the instrument behind this closure, rather than relying on the summary published with the boundary. Where the two differ, the instrument governs; this reading was made on 2026-09-05.
Paragraph 2 of NEIFCA Byelaw XXIII 2015, verbatim: 2(a) 'A person must not use a scallop dredge outside the specified scallop dredging area.' 2(b) 'A person must not use a scallop dredge within the specified scallop dredging area unless that person holds a valid scallop dredging permit.' 2(c) 'A person must not carry or use a scallop dredge on or from a vessel unless the vessel is operating a fully functioning Automatic Identification System.'
Reaches SCALLOP DREDGES ONLY. Paragraph 1(k) defines a scallop dredge as ‘any appliance with a rigid framed mouth which is towed through the water and is manufactured, adapted, used or intended for use for the purpose of fishing for scallops’. A demersal trawler, twin-rigger or beam trawler working fish or prawns is not within this measure at all, so establishing that a vessel tows gear on the seabed does not establish a breach here — it has to be a dredge.
A person must not use a scallop dredge within the prohibited area.
Summary as published in the source dataset, shown for comparison. A dataset paraphrase can be narrower or wider than the instrument it summarises, and finding out which is the work above.
No cases have been recorded in this closure. That is not a finding that nothing happens here — it means our sweeps have not flagged anything inside these boundaries, and coverage depends on satellite passes and on vessels being tracked at all.
What a case here means. A CAUGHT case is a reason to look, not a verdict. Each one is judged on three independent factors — was it fishing, here and then; what gear does the vessel actually use; and what was prohibited there at that time — and the weakest of the three decides. Most cases are resolved.
Boundaries and rule summaries come from the published datasets named at the foot of this page and can contain errors; the legislation is the authority. If you believe this closure is described wrongly, tell us at contact@caught.org.uk.
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