Sea Fisheries is a service under the Committee for Economic Development. It is responsible for the administration of the Bailiwick of Guernsey fishing vessel licensing scheme and enforcing fisheries legislation on land and at sea.
For guidance on landing or exporting fresh fish and shellfish to the EU please go to www.gov.gg/freshfish
Fishing licences under the TCA
In January 2023, the Committee for Economic Development approved polices relating to "extent and nature" and replacement vessels, in accordance with Article 502 of the UK-EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA).
Consequently, the Committee has re-issued licences to qualifying French vessels with new conditions relating to "extent and nature" provisions.
These conditions will ensure that the fishing activity of licensed vessels will reflect the activity that took place in the reference period (1st Feb 2017 - 31st Jan 2020).
The Committee has also granted licences to replacement vessels in accordance with the replacement vessel policy.
Both policies and the licence template are available for download.
The policies and licences take effect on 1st February 2023.
Licences de pêche selon les termes du TCA
En janvier 2023, le Comité de développement économique a approuvé les politiques relatives à « la nature et l'ampleur » et aux navires de remplacement, selon les termes de l'article 502 de l'accord de commerce et de coopération entre le
Royaume-Uni et l'Union européenne (le « TCA »).
Par conséquent, le Comité a re-délivré des licences de pêche aux bateaux français éligibles avec de nouvelles conditions relatives aux dispositions liées à « la nature et l'ampleur ».
Ces conditions assureront que l'activité de pêche des navires qui détiennent une licence se fera en fonction de l'activité qui fut exercée au cours de la période de référence (1er février 2017 - 31 janvier 2020).
Le comité a également attribué des licences à des navires de remplacement, selon les termes de la politique de navires de remplacement.
Les deux politiques et le document modèle pour les licences sont disponibles au téléchargement.
Les politiques et les licences (renouvelées) entrent en vigueur au 1er février 2023.
Sea Fisheries
- Sea Fisheries is based at Sir Charles Frossard House and has three full-time members of staff
- Senior Sea Fisheries Officer (Control & Monitoring) - David Wilkinson
- Senior Sea Fisheries Officer (Assets & Enforcement) - Michael Phillips
- Sea Fisheries Officer - Simon Hall
- The Officers' roles are varied and include:
- Administering the Bailiwick of Guernsey licensing regime for all British registered fishing vessels
- Enforcing fisheries legislation on land and within Bailiwick fishery limits (0-12nm)
- Collecting and analysing catch and effort statistics on the commercial fishing industry
- Maintaining and crewing the Committee for Economic Development's marine assets, FPV Leopardess and FPV Puma
- Patrolling 1,200 square nautical miles of Bailiwick fishery limits
- Being on-call 24/7 to offer the services of FPV Leopardess to other States of Guernsey departments
- Day-to-day liaison with industry members and other local government departments
- Local Notices to Mariners (LNTM), legislative updates and general fishing news are posted on Sea Fisheries' Facebook page.
Landing or exporting fresh fish to the EU after 31st December 2020
- As a third country there are two routes to the EU market for locally caught fresh fish: direct and indirect landings.
- Since 1st January 2021, additional requirements are in place for both routes.
- For more information, please go to: www.gov.gg/freshfish.
Fishing Vessel Licensing
- In accordance with the Sea Fish Licensing (Bailiwick of Guernsey) Law, 2012, ALL British-registered vessels commercially fishing within the 0 - 12nm limit of Bailiwick waters (please download the 'Bailiwick Fishing Limits' chart from this page) need a Bailiwick of Guernsey fishing vessel licence. For information regarding the 2012 Law and the Bailiwick of Guernsey Fishing Vessel Licensing Policy, please contact Sea Fisheries.
- All vessels commercially fishing within Bailiwick of Guernsey waters must adhere to the MMO monthly catch limits. These limits are different for Over 10m and Under 10m vessels. Please see the following links to access the current monthly relevant catch limits:
- The current MMO monthly catch limits for Under 10m vessels are available here. For those vessels which are members of a Producer Organisation (PO), the catch limits are those set by the relevant PO. The applicable areas for Bailiwick of Guernsey waters are VII, VIIe and Western. Please see the ICES chart for area information.
- The current MMO monthly catch limits for Over 10m vessels are available here. For those vessels which are members of a Producer Organisation (PO), the catch limits are those set by the relevant PO. The applicable areas for Bailiwick of Guernsey waters are VII, VIIe and Western. Please see the ICES chart for area information.
Aquaculture
- Sea Fisheries is responsible for the licensing of all shellfish farms within the Bailiwick. There are a total of seven licensed aquaculture sites distributed around Guernsey's west and north coasts, as well as one licensed site on Herm. There is also an oyster farm located in a disused quarry in the north of the island.
- Before issuing a shellfish farm licence the Committee for Economic Development will take into account the welfare of the fishing industry and the relevant experience of the person making the application.
- Regular inspections are carried out by Sea Fisheries Officers to ensure that the sites remain in a safe and suitable condition. Due to their location at the far end of the intertidal zone, it is only possible to carry out thorough inspections during spring tides. It is not always possible to visit all of the sites on each set of spring tides.
- For more information on shellfish licences or if you have any concerns about the condition of an existing site please contact Sea Fisheries using the contact button on this page.
Legislation
- Please click on the links below to be taken to an online copy of the following laws and ordinances:
- The Fishing Ordinance, 1997
- The Fishing (Minimum Size and Prescribed Species) Order, 1997
- The Fishing (Minimum Size and Prescribed Species)(Amendment) Order, 1999
- The Fishing (Restrictions on the use of Trot Line and Set Net) Order, 1997 (associated chart is available for download from this page)
- The Fishing (Licensing and Protection of Fisheries) Ordinance, 1987
- The Sea Fish Licensing (Bailiwick of Guernsey) Law, 2012
- The Fishing (Control of First Sale and Purchase) (Guernsey) Order, 2022
- Copies of any legislation may be downloaded in .pdf format directly from the Guernsey Legal Resources website. If you have difficulty in obtaining a specific piece of fisheries legislation or would like to discuss any aspect of Bailiwick fisheries law please contact Sea Fisheries
Statistics
- Sea Fisheries Officers compile statistics on the landings and value of the major commercial species landed by Guernsey registered vessels, together with the amount and types of fishing effort conducted by these vessels. These data are summarised in our annual statistical reports.
- In addition, Officers have collected data on the sea temperature at St Peter Port harbour since 1980. Annual average temperatures have been approximately 1 degree centigrade higher this decade than were recorded in the 1980s. This of course has important implications on the abundance and types of commercial species available to the local fishing fleet.
- Officers are always keen to receive information on any aspect of the marine environment such as -
- sightings of dolphins and whales
- unusual marine species
- algal blooms
- unusual or abnormal condition of any fish or shellfish
- Below you will find the yearly statistical bulletin reports highlighting fishing effort, catch data and any other relevant information that is gathered by the department:
2005 Report [552kb]
Shellfish Sampling
- Shellfish sampling is very important as shellfish are prone to contamination with food poisoning organisms. This is particularly true of bivalve molluscs (such as oysters and mussels) as they are filter feeders (i.e. they feed by straining suspended matter and food particles from the water). However, providing shellfish are safely reared and placed on the market they should be safe for consumption without the necessity of being cooked or subsequently processed.
- Shellfish sampling is overseen by the Office of Environmental Health and Pollution Regulation. Samples are routinely collected in order to monitor the quality of the shellfish that are commercially harvested on the Island and to control the risk of people becoming ill from eating local shellfish.
- Local shellfish beds are also classified by the Office of Environmental Health and Pollution Regulation as per the UK Food Standards Agency's classification system.
Seawater Sampling
- Bathing water quality is an important issue on Guernsey. The Office of Environmental Health and Pollution Regulation, in conjunction with the Office for Environment and Infrastructure, undertakes an ongoing sampling programme to monitor the condition of the seawater around the island. The samples are tested by the States Analyst's Laboratory against the values specified in the European Union Bathing Water Directive - 76/160/EEC.
The Office of Environmental Health and Pollution Regulation is responsible for registering and inspecting food businesses. Under local food legislation fishing vessels are included as 'food businesses'. Guidance documents specific to fishing vessels are available from the Office of Environmental Health and Pollution Regulation.
