Summary and Background Part 7: Fisheries Taking fish etc Section 215: Prohibited implements
548.This section amends section 1 of the Salmon and Freshwater Fisheries Act 1975. Section 1 creates offences in relation to certain instruments used for taking fish; in particular section 1(1)(a) lists instruments the use of which is prohibited.
549.Subsection (2)(a) adds tailers to the list in section 1(1)(a). A tailer is a pole with a retractable loop of wire at the end, which is looped around the body of the fish to help remove it from the water.
550.Subsections (2)(b), (3) and (4) extend the list of fisheries to which section 1 applies to those for eels, lampreys, smelt, shad. Subsection (5) inserts a new subsection (1A) into section 1, which extends this list to fisheries for any fish specified in an order made under new section 40A of the Salmon and Freshwater Fisheries Act 1975 (inserted by section 221).
551.Subsection (5) also inserts a new subsection (1B) into section 1, which gives the appropriate national authority power by order to add or remove instruments from the list in section 1(1)(a).
552.Subsection (6) inserts new section 1(3A), by virtue of which references in section 1 to waters include waters adjoining the coast of England and Wales to a distance of six nautical miles from baselines. This corresponds to the area of sea in which the Environment Agency carries out its functions.
553.Section 1(4) of the Salmon and Freshwater Fisheries Act 1975 permits the use of a gaff or tailer when fishing with a rod and line. A gaff is a pole with a steel hook mounted on the end, used to snag the fish, and subsequently to remove it from the water. Subsection (7) omits both this subsection, and the references to it within the section, with the effect that the use of these instruments is no longer permitted.