Southern IFCA

08/10/2026

Officers have been carrying out drone flights across Poole Harbour, checking compliance with the Poole Harbour Dredge Permit Byelaw and Permit Conditions in relation to the closed areas at Seagull Island and Green Island, both of which are closed for the protection of saltmarsh supporting habitat for the Poole Harbour Special Protection Area.

No breaches of the regulations were detected and Officers were also treated to seeing a white-tailed eagle.

02/10/2026

Court Outcome:

Fisherman ordered to pay £3,792 for breaking Southern IFCA regulations in The Solent

On Thursday 10th September 2026 at Southampton Magistrates Court, Andrew Mitchell, who is 63 years of age from Lymington, was sentenced in relation to four separate breaches of Southern IFCA regulations.

The court heard how in December 2025, Mr Mitchell was observed by the Southern IFCA drone to be dredging from his fishing vessel within the Osbourne Bay prohibited area in breach of the Southern IFCA Bottom Towed Fishing Gear Byelaw 2023. In addition, Mr Mitchell was operating outside of the curfew of 08:00-14:00, in contravention of the Solent Dredge Permit Byelaw Permit Conditions.

In January 2026, Mr Mitchell was again found dredging within the Osbourne Bay prohibited area and was found to have 17% of the approximately 220kg scallops retained onboard the fishing vessel under the Minimum Conservation Reference Size of 110mm.

The Southern IFCA Bottom Towed Fishing Gear Byelaw 2023 protects designated features of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) via year-round spatial prohibitions to bottom towed fishing gear which in this instance were protecting the designated features of both the Solent Maritime Special Area of Conservations (SAC) and the Solent Special Protection Area (SPA). Temporal restrictions under the Southern IFCA’s Solent Dredge Permit Byelaw and associated permit conditions help the IFCA to manage fishing effort within The Solent, whilst MCRS regulations ensure that species are left to grow to maturity and reproduce before they can be harvested.

For more information please visit the news page of our website by clicking below:

Southern IFCA will sustain marine environments and inshore fisheries by balancing social, environmental and economic benefits to ensure healthy seas and sustainable fisheries.

02/10/2026

Court Outcome:

Fisherman ordered to pay £3,344 for breaches of Southern IFCA's Poole Harbour Dredge Permit Byelaw

On Thursday 10th September 2026 at Southampton Magistrates Court, Andrew Skinner, who is 35 years of age from Poole, was sentenced in relation to four breaches of the Southern IFCA Poole Harbour Dredge Permit Byelaw.

The court heard how Andrew Skinner used his fishing vessel to dredge for Manila clams within the prohibited areas of Green Island, Ower Bay and Wych Lake & Middlebere Lake in Poole Harbour over a three day period.

The Byelaw protects birds and their supporting habitats, which includes saltmarsh. Saltmarsh and various species of migratory and overwintering birds are designated features within Poole Harbour's Special Protection Area (SPA). Areas prohibited to dredging afford protection to the birds when they are likely to be present and using the areas for feeding, breeding and roosting.

For more information please visit the news page of our website by clicking below:

Southern IFCA will sustain marine environments and inshore fisheries by balancing social, environmental and economic benefits to ensure healthy seas and sustainable fisheries.

02/10/2026

The Scottish Government has opened a public consultation on three proposed joint UK Fisheries Management Plans (FMPs).

One of these is relevant to the Southern IFCA District:
North Sea horse mackerel

The consultation is open until 11:55pm on 10th November 2026.

For more information please visit: https://defrafmp.blog.gov.uk/2026/09/29/consultation-opens-on-three-joint-uk-pelagic-fmps/

Remember, the consultation on another five UK Joint Pelagic FMPs closes at 11:55pm on 14th October 2026, three of which are relevant to the Southern IFCA District:
North Sea Herring
Northern Shelf Blue Whiting
Northern Shelf Mackerel

For more information on this consultation please visit: https://defrafmp.blog.gov.uk/2026/07/22/consultation-opens-on-five-joint-uk-pelagic-fmps/

25/09/2026

Southern IFCA's Whelk Monitoring Programme includes an annual Whelk Population Survey to build evidence on whelk fisheries, whelk populations & trends/changes over time to help inform understandings of whelk stocks & fishing practice across the District, and support sustainable management, as well as contributing to the Whelk FMP evidence base.

25/08/2026

Southern IFCA have been carrying out evening & night patrols around Poole to engage with stakeholders and support compliance with regulations.

Officers have enjoyed engaging with the recreational sea angling community at Sandbanks, providing minimum size stickers to help support anglers in ensuring that their fish meet the minimum conservation reference size and answering any questions on the relevant regulations for recreational sea angling.

For more information on management for rod & line fisheries please visit our website: https://www.southern-ifca.gov.uk/rod-and-line-regulations

19/08/2026

Court Outcome

Fisherman ordered to pay £15,000 for a breach of Southern IFCA’s Bottom Towed Gear Fishing Gear Byelaw in Southampton Water

On Wednesday 12th August 2026 at Southampton Magistrates Court, Ryan Tyers pleaded guilty to not having all parts of his bottom towed fishing gear inboard and above the sea, in contravention of the Southern Inshore Fishing & Conservation Authority (IFCA) Bottom Towed Fishing Gear (BTFG) Byelaw 2023, which requires a person using a vessel which is carrying bottom towed gear within a prohibited area to have all parts of that gear inboard and above the sea.

The Southern IFCA BTFG Byelaw 2023 protects designated features of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) via year-round spatial prohibitions to BTFG, which in this instance were protecting the designated features of both the Solent Maritime Special Area of Conservations (SAC) and the Solent and Southampton Water Special Protection Area (SPA).

Commercial dredging for clams is permitted outside of the prohibited area between Calshot Spit and Fawley Oil Refinery under the authorisation of a Solent Dredge Permit Byelaw Category A Permit issued by the Southern Inshore Fisheries & Conservation Authority. This remains an important bivalve fishery for the local fishing fleet.

For more information please click below:

Southern IFCA will sustain marine environments and inshore fisheries by balancing social, environmental and economic benefits to ensure healthy seas and sustainable fisheries.

11/08/2026

Southern IFCA are aware of an incident reported in the media on 27th July concerning the seizure of a quantity of crabs and oysters by Hampshire Police around Langstone Bridge and are liaising with Hampshire Police in relation to this incident.

Southern IFCA would like to take this opportunity to provide the following Shore Gathering Requirements - https://www.southern-ifca.gov.uk/shore-gathering regarding the statutory responsibilities applicable to shore gathering in Langstone Harbour and how you can report any matters of concern to [email protected].

04/08/2026

The consultation on five UK Joint Pelagic Fisheries Management Plans is currently open.

The FMPs were developed jointly by Defra, the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) in Northern Ireland, the Welsh Government and the Scottish Government which coordinated the work.

Three of the FMPs have overlap with the Southern IFCA District:
North Sea Herring
Northern Shelf Blue Whiting
Northern Shelf Mackerel

📅 The consultation is open until 11:55pm on 14th October 2026.

For more information please visit:

https://defrafmp.blog.gov.uk/2026/07/22/consultation-opens-on-five-joint-uk-pelagic-fmps/

22/07/2026

Did you know?

The Southern IFCA Monitoring Programme involves 6 different survey types & up to 10 surveys per year

3 of our surveys are run multiple times during the year to monitor seasonal changes or pre & post fishing season trends, and 100% of our surveys overlap with one or more Marine Protected Areas.

5 of our surveys collect data which is relevant to Fisheries Management Plans, providing data to help inform the Whelk FMP, King Scallop FMP, Bass FMP, Channel Non-Quota Species FMP, Mixed Flatfish FMP and the Cockle FMP.

100% of our surveys involve collaboration with fishers, usually through the chartering of local vessels & on our Juvenile Fish Surveys we are often joined by partner organisations, NGOs, universities and other members of the community.

Data from our monitoring programme contributes to understandings of trends & changes in stocks over time, helping inform management decisions and improving the evidence base to support continued sustainable management of important inshore fisheries.

For more information and to view survey reports please visit our website: www.southern-ifca.gov.uk