Safeguarding bass could boost angling as a sport in the Island and in turn benefit the economy.  That's the hope behind the Recreational Sea Fishing (Bass) Regulations 2016 which will be laid before Tynwald this month.

The regulations mean that:

• only rod and line anglers may fish for sea bass
• anglers can keep only a single bass each day
• anglers can keep a bass only if it is 50-60cm long.

Internationally, bass are susceptible to over-exploitation, with angling as well as commercial fishing impacting on stocks.

DEFA consulted over the regulations last year and the responsess can be found here – https://www.gov.im/ConsultationDetail.gov?id=535

Geoffrey Boot MHK, Minister for Environment, Food and Agriculture, said: ‘The consultation gained widespread attention among the angling community across the British Isles and Europe and our proposals were supported by the majority of respondents.

‘Responses indicated that bass fishing already attracts visiting anglers and that there is great potential for safeguarding of stocks to boost angling tourism.

‘Restricting anglers to keeping one fish a day and adding other measures to safeguard stocks will support the future of the recreational fishery.’

Separately, as a further conservation measure, commercial fishing for bass – a species not currently targeted in Manx waters – will be prohibited.

The Irish Government has managed bass as a recreational-only species since 1990. The economic contribution of angling for bass has since grown dramatically.

Photo - Local angler Kevin Walmsley with a 72cm bass caught and released this year.