Nifca
Nifca
OK I have bought this bye-law up in the new NIFCA bye- law review it is technically illegal in Northumberland and North Eastern south of the Tyne. It was never intended for recreational fishermen and was to stop undersized crabs being used as pot bait a very recent prosecution in Northumberland saw a £6,000 fine to a commercial fisherman for using edible crab in his pots. I have the subject on the agenda for the next NIFCA meeting I also believe North Eastern are reviewing the Bye-law.To prove a offence when using cart I believe some form of analysis would have to take place and I could not see NIFCA spending money on that as budgets are tight.The bye- law is old and in my view out of date but it means what it states it is illegal to use Edible crab no matter if you purchased it in a Plymouth supermarket of found it dead on the beach with the cooked offal exception. This bye- law only applies in Northumberland and North Eastern IFCA area and to no other parts of England. This is enforced by the warranted IFCOs of Northumberland with a maximum penalty of would you believe £50,000 this increased recently after the Marine and coastal Act became law from £5,000. I will keep you updated and if any of you feel strongly about it being reviewed contact me you are all stakeholders.