New fishing rules introduced to improve sea safety

People taking part in water sports have been urged to look out for new marker buoys in a bid to to improve safety at sea.

Updated fishing regulations require all static fishing nets, whether used commercially or recreationally, to be clearly marked with red and white floats.

Marine Resources said the new rules were introduced after concerns that the growing number of swimmers, paddleboarders, kayakers and other recreational water users could become entangled in poorly marked nets.

A spokesperson said people using the sea should avoid passing between, or near, the marker buoys because they showed there was a fishing net below the surface.

The updated regulations also included changes to rules covering trawl nets, scallop dredges, marine protected areas and static nets, with most applying only to commercial fishing.

The overhaul was based on research carried out by the Marine Resources team and was intended to simplify existing regulations while supporting the long-term protection of the marine environment.

Minimum mesh sizes for static nets were also increased, from 90mm to 112mm for recreational fishers and from 90mm to 100mm for commercial fishers.

A spokesperson for Marine Resources said the requirement for clearly marked nets had been extended around the whole island because water sports had grown significantly since the previous laws were introduced.

They said the changes were designed to make fishing more sustainable while making the sea safer for both those who worked on the water and those using it for recreation.

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