Full fisheries legislation and subordinate regulations can be found on the Jersey Legal Information Board Website
Sea Fisheries (Jersey) Law 1994
Portelet No Take Zone
From the 2 May 2022 Portelet Bay has become a No Take Zone banning all forms of fishing.
Sea fisheries and aquatic resources (Portlet Bay) (Jersey) regulations 2022
Reporting incidents
Officers can be contacted through Natural Environment during office hours on
+44 (0) 1534 441600 or Jersey Coastguard +44 (0) 1534 447705 at any time.
Minimum sizes of fish and shellfish
You cannot land, sell, expose or offer for sale, or have in your possession any fish or shellfish that are under the minimum sizes set out below.
If you take any fish or shellfish on board that are under these minimum sizes, then you must return them to the sea immediately.
Recreational Angling and Low Water Fishing
Licensed commercial fishermen should check their licence conditions as they may contain further restrictions relating to the sizes of fish which may be retained or landed.
Bag limits
New bag limit measures are in place. For some species a vessel limit also applies.
Bag Limits
Ormer bag limit for example:
- 4 people on board, boat limit 80 (20 per person)
- 5 people on board, boat limit 100 (20 per person, 100 per boat)
- 6 people on board, boat limit 100 (limit of 100 per boat, regardless of number of people)
Bag limits are subject to change during the year and fishers must ensure they know the limit at the time they are fishing. For further information contact Marine Resources.
This seasonality chart offers a generic view based on 10 years of landings from Jersey fishing vessels.
Seasonality chart
Storage of live shellfish in storepots or storeboxes is permissible. However, any catch stored in this way is considered as retained for the purposes of a daily bag limit.
The use of a storepot or storebox would not allow fishers to retain multiple days' catch that in total would exceed a daily bag limit.
Ormers
Fishing for ormers may only take place from 1 October to 30 April. During that period fishing may only take place on the first day of each new or full moon and the 3 following days. For example, if a full moon falls on 29 April, fishing still cannot take place after 30 April.
If you find an ormer with a yellow tag please record the number and contact Marine Resources.
Ormer information and regulations leaflet
Ormer Season 2024
Fresh ormers may only be possessed between 1 October and 30 April inclusive and then only on the first day of each new or full moon and the three following days on a boat or the five following days on land. The term 'fresh' does not include frozen, cured or otherwise preserved. Low-water fishermen wishing to freeze down ormers to be eaten out of season may still do so.
Ormers may only be exported from the island when they are fresh, and then only on the days that ormer fishing is authorised.
Bass
Recreational fishing
A bag limit of two fish per day is in place from 1 April to 31 January. Catch and release only at all other times.
Commercial Fishing
Bass fishing is regulated by licence conditions. Targeted bass fishing is restricted to a small number of Jersey licensed vessels with a Jersey Bass Permit.
Net parameter analysis for Jersey's Bass Fishery
As part of ongoing management enhancement of the Bass fishery the Government of Jersey Marine Resources team have undertaken a study on the impact of gill net mesh size range on both catchability of the target species and relative bycatch. The Study was conducted on a local commercial fishing boat across the bass fishing winter season. Results of the study are presented in
this report and will be used to inform bass fishery management in 2024 and beyond.
Atlantic Bluefin Tuna
A bag limit of zero is in place for both commercial and recreational vessels. Atlantic Bluefin Tuna are protected under the
Wildlife (Jersey) Law 2021. This prohibits targeting and landing Atlantic Bluefin Tuna within Jersey territorial waters.
Marine Resources Jersey have conducted a two year research programme into Atlantic Bluefin Tuna with the results being found in the below research report.
Tracking Atlantic Bluefin Tuna research report
Atlantic Bluefin Tuna position paper
Marking of gear
All fishing gear (including storeboxes and storepots) left in or on the sea must be clearly marked with the registered number of the vessel (registered name for those boats not requiring a J or JY number).
Parlour Pots
Parlour pots must have at least one escape gap of the legally required size in the parlour area.
Parlour pots and pots designed to restrict the escape of shellfish are not to be used at Les Minquiers or Les Ecréhous. For more information please refer to the legislation in the links below.
Sea Fisheries (Les Minquiers) (Jersey) Regulations 2007
Sea Fisheries (Les Echréhous) (Jersey) Regulations 2018
Fishing boat licences
Any boat used for commercial fishing (where the catch is sold) must hold a valid Jersey licence.
Fishing boat licences
Rays
Jersey waters play host to a number of ray species including small-eyed, blonde and undulate rays. As not much is known about them, the Marine Resources Panel has agreed to investigate the species found locally in more detail.
It is conducting a research project in conjunction with ray experts from the Centre of Environment and Fisheries and Aquacultre Science (Cefas). A number of rays will be professionally tagged with equipment suppllied by Cefas in the internationally accepted way.
If you find a tagged ray, please return the tag together with:
- information about the place
- date of cature
- length of the fish
to either Marine Resources Jersey or
Cefas.
Bream
Black seabream is a common resident in Jersey waters that is sought both commercially and recreationally. Bream build nests to lay eggs on during their spawning cycle and a recent study using benthic mapping and videos has located areas of nesting activity. The results of this study are presented in the report below and will be used to inform bream fishery management.
Identification of black bream (Spondyliosoma cantharus) nesting grounds in Jersey waters
Underwater fishing
It is forbidden to take any shellfish, other than crabs, from the sea while totally or partially submerged and breathing with the aid of underwater breathing apparatus or wearing a face visor, a mask or goggles.
Scallops may be taken by permit only, which can be obtained from the department. The minimum size for a scallop is 102mm measured across the broadest part of the shell and all scallops must be kept on board whole so they can be measured, the meat must not be removed from the shell.
If a vessel is used for illegal diving for shellfish, the person in command of the vessel will be committing an offence.
Apply for a scallop diving permit
Trawling and dredging
Trawling and dredging from boats is restricted in various parts of Jersey’s waters. Anyone wishing to fish using these methods should contact the Department of the Environment for further details.
Ground lines and Nets
Ground lines
Ground lines (trots) and single hooks are prohibited.
Beach set nets
Nets set on the beach are prohibited.
Nets
Any fishing nets set from a boat may only be used where the depth of the sea is more than 130cm (approximately 4 feet 3 inches).
Restrictions on inshore netting
No person shall use for the purpose of fishing for sea fish any net set from a boat, or any equipment attached thereto, including anchors, lines and floats, within 200 metres of the shoreline between La Coupe Point to La Rocque Harbour and thence to St Brelade’s Bay Pier at any state of the tide during the hours of daylight during the period beginning on 1 April and ending on 15 October in any year.
Minimum size of nets
The minimum size for all types of nets, including trawls, depends on the type of fish being targeted. For further details contact Natural Environment.
Low water fishing
Low water fishermen are asked to return all rocks that they turn to their original position to conserve the environment beneath them. Studies undertaken in Brittany show that it can take between 5 and 10 years for the environment to recover to a condition suitable for ormers.
Recreational angling and low water fishing leaflet
Seaweed Harvesting
New regulations to modernise the management of seaweed harvesting on Jersey's coastline have been lodged for States debate this autumn. The recommended regulations were based on the outputs of a study conducted by Marine Resources looking at the potential for Aquaculture and Wild Harvesting of seaweed for personal and commercial use.
Seaweed Aquaculture and Wild Harvesting Report 2019
gov.je