In June 2025, the Bass Management Group (BMG) highlighted that a task-and-finish group was reviewing the system for authorising commercial fishing vessels to land bass in England.
This review was guided by goal 2 of the bass fisheries management plan (FMP) which is around fair access to the bass fishery, while prioritising stock sustainability.
The review
The Marine Management Organisation (MMO) led the review with help from a group of commercial and recreational fishermen, regulators and environmental groups. They met over multiple meetings and gathered views from nearly 300 stakeholders at 20 coastal events.
Current rules
The bass fishery is important for many people - from commercial fishermen to those who enjoy fishing for fun. To keep bass stocks healthy, rules were introduced after years of poor recruitment (the number of juveniles that join the adult stock in any given year) and heavy fishing. These include:
- A minimum size for bass
- Special authorisations for commercial bass fishing
- Seasonal closure for all fishers
- Limits on how many bass can be landed or kept as bycatch
Recommendations
The review produced 24 recommendations to help with the long-term health of the fishery.
Key proposals include:
- Increasing the number of authorisations to land bass
- A scheme providing access for young people wishing to enter the fishery
- Allowing fishers the option to switch from fixed gillnet authorisation to hooks and lines
- Gear trials - including an inshore drift netting scientific trial
- Establishing a working group to review demersal trawls and seines
- A bycatch allowance trial for non-authorised fixed gillnet fishers
- Development of an accredited hook-to-plate bass fishery
- Adjustments to engine power and vessel size restrictions
What happens next?
It's important to be clear that these are recommendations and not final decisions. Defra and the BMG will now look at the evidence, consult further, and assess impacts before any changes are made.
Reports and helpful products
Find a report of the review on GOV.UK. An infographic and video summarising the report are below.
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