The Undersized Velvet Crabs Order 1989

• Citation: S.I. 1989/919
• Sections: 5

Section 1 Title, commencement and interpretation

(1) This Order may be cited as the Undersized Velvet Crabs Order 1989 and shall come into force on 1st July 1989.

(2) In this Order—

“ the Act ” means the Sea Fish (Conservation) Act 1967;

“velvet crab” means crab of the species Liocarcinus puber;

“size”, in relation to a velvet crab, means the width of the carapace measured across the broadest part, excluding spines, of the back;

“ the English zone ” means the sea within British fishery limits other than—

the Scottish zone,

the Northern Ireland zone, and

the Welsh zone;

“ the Northern Ireland zone ” has the same meaning as in the Northern Ireland Act 1998.

Section 2 Prescribed minimum size for landing velvet crabs and exemptions from landing prohibitions

(1) Subject to paragraph (1A), for the purposes of section 1(1) of the Act (which prohibits the landing in Great Britain of any sea fish of any description, being a fish of a smaller size than such size as may be prescribed in relation to sea fish of that description), there is hereby prescribed as the minimum size in relation to sea fish of the description of velvet crab a size of 65 mm.

(1A) For the purposes of section 1(1) of the Act, in relation to landing in the Outer Hebrides and the Orkney Islands , there is prescribed as the minimum size in relation to sea fish of the description of velvet crab a size of 70 millimetres.

(2) Landing from foreign fishing boats of sea fish caught in waters lying outside British fishery limits is exempted from the prohibition imposed by section 1(1) of the Act as read with paragraphs (1) and (1A) of this article.

Section 3 Prescribed minimum size for sale etc. of velvet crabs and exemptions from sale prohibitions

(1) For the purposes of section 1(2) of the Act (which prohibits the sale, exposure or offer for sale or possession for the purpose of sale of any sea fish of any description, being a fish of a smaller size than such size as may be prescribed in relation to sea fish of that description), there is hereby prescribed as the minimum size in relation to sea fish of the description of velvet crab a size of 65 mm.

(2) The sale, exposure or offer for sale or possession for the purpose of sale of sea fish of the description of velvet crabs which are landed from foreign fishing boats and were caught in waters lying outside British fishery limits is exempted from the prohibition imposed by section 1(2) of the Act as read with paragraph 1 of this article.

Section 4 Prescribed minimum size for carriage of velvet crabs ...

(1) For the purposes of section 1(3) of the Act (which prohibits the carriage on a relevant British vessel of sea fish of any description which are of less than the minimum size prescribed in relation to sea fish of that description), there is hereby prescribed as the minimum size in relation to sea fish of the description of velvet crab a size of 65 mm.

(2) Paragraph (1) does not apply in relation to the Welsh zone.

(3) A Northern Ireland fishing boat is prohibited from carrying in the English zone velvet crab that are below the minimum size mentioned in sub-paragraph (1).

(4) A foreign vessel is prohibited from carrying in the English zone velvet crab that were caught in waters lying within British fishery limits and are below the minimum size mentioned in sub-paragraph (1).

(5) So far as it extends to Northern Ireland, this Article applies as if—

(a) references to a “relevant British vessel” were to a relevant British fishing boat;

(b) references to a “foreign vessel” were to a foreign fishing boat;

(c) references to a “Northern Ireland fishing boat” were to a Scottish fishing boat;

(d) references to “the English zone” were to the English zone or the Northern Ireland zone.

(6) Expressions used in this Article and in section 1 of the Act have the same meaning in this Article as they have in that section.

Section 5 Powers of British sea-fishery officers in relation to fishing boats

(1) For the purpose of the enforcement of section 1 of the Act and of this Order a British sea-fishery officer may exercise ... the powers conferred by paragraphs (2) to (4) of this article —

(a) in relation to a relevant British fishing boat that is registered in the United Kingdom or is British-owned, wherever it may be; and

(b) in relation to any other fishing boat, in any waters adjacent to the United Kingdom and within relevant British fishery limits.

(2) He may go on board the boat, with or without persons assigned to assist him in his duties, and for that purpose may require the boat to stop and do anything else which will facilitate the boarding of the boat.

(3) He may require the attendance of the master and other persons on board the boat and may make any examination and inquiry which appears to him to be necessary for the purpose mentioned in paragraph (1) of this article and, in particular,

(a) may examine any fish on the boat and the equipment of the boat, including the fishing gear, and require persons on board the boat to do anything which appears to him to be necessary for facilitating the examination;

(b) may require any person on board the boat to produce any document relating to the boat, to its fishing operations or other operations ancillary thereto or to the persons on board which is in his custody or possession and may take copies of any such document;

(c) for the purpose of ascertaining whether the master, owner or charterer of the boat has committed an offence under section 1 of the Act as read with this Order, may search the boat for any such document and may require any person on board the boat to do anything which appears to him to be necessary for facilitating the search; and

(d) where the boat is one in relation to which he has reason to suspect that such an offence has been committed, may seize and detain any such document produced to him or found on board for the purpose of enabling the document to be used as evidence in proceedings for the offence;

but nothing in subparagraph (d) above shall permit any document required by law to be carried on board the boat to be seized and detained except while the boat is detained in a port.

(4) Where it appears to a British sea-fishery officer that an offence under section 1 of the Act as read with this Order has at any time been committed within relevant British fishery limits, he may—

(a) require the master of the boat in relation to which the offence took place to take, or may himself take, the boat and its crew to the port which appears to him to be the nearest convenient port; and

(b) detain or require the master to detain the boat in the port;

and where such an officer detains or requires the detention of a boat he shall serve on the master a notice in writing stating that the boat will be or is required to be detained until the notice is withdrawn by the service on the master of a further notice in writing signed by a British sea-fishery officer.