Kingmere Marine Conservation Zone
In 2016 the Sussex IFCA has introduced a new Marine Protected Area Bylaw containing details of management measures for activities taking place within the Kingmere Marine Conservation Zone.
For sea anglers this meant new measures on where they can fish, when they can fish there and how many black bream them may retain per day. The Kingmere was designated as a Marine Conservation Zone to protect the seabed features which make this the single most important known nesting site for black bream around the coast of the UK.
In order to protect the adult nesting and aggregating population of black bream using the site management measures were introduced to limit the impact on the species while allowing important social and economic activities to take place – such as recreational fishing.
Anglers are now limited to retaining four bream per angler per day when fishing within the MCZ. One of the areas within the MCZ is also closed to recreational angling during the spawning season from April 1st – June 30th. Measures restricting trawling, netting, lining and potting are also in place throughout the MCZ.
The measures agreed are the result of lengthy discussion and consultation between the Sussex IFCA, the Angling Trust, local anglers, wildlife organisations, other stakeholders and Natural England.
Representatives of the Angling Trust’s Sussex Marine Region put in an enormous amount of work to ensure that as many anglers as possible were aware of the process and able to contribute to the discussions taking place on the management measures needed to achieve the conservation objectives of the MCZ. They also highlighted the huge value to the local economy of the many charter boats who rely on taking anglers fishing on the Kingmere reef.
The Angling Trust has worked incredibly hard to ensure the best possible deal for anglers and charter boat businesses and the Kingmere MCZ represents the best example of where anglers have worked with conservationists and fisheries managers to achieve successful outcome for conservation and angling.
For more details visit the Sussex IFCA website at https://www.sussex-ifca.gov.uk/