The UK Government has signed off a narrow but meaningful reset of sea fisheries rules. From 27 February 2026, the daily retention limit for recreational European seabass rises from two to three fish, while picked dogfish (spurdog) comes off the statutory prohibited list so that controls can be set directly through fishing vessel licences. Ministers say the package reflects updated science and the 2026 UK–EU fisheries deal, aiming to protect stocks while giving coastal businesses a modest boost.

For sea bass, the closed season of 1 February to 31 March remains in place and the minimum conservation reference size stays at 42 cm. Government guidance confirms the new three‑fish daily bag limit will apply outside the closed season, updating 2025 rules that capped retention at two fish pending legislation. Anglers should also continue to respect nursery areas where local restrictions apply, particularly around estuaries and inshore hotspots. (gov.uk)

The shift on bass is underpinned by advice from the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES). For the northern stock fished by UK anglers and fleets (North Sea, English Channel, Bristol Channel and Celtic Sea), ICES advises total removals in 2026 should not exceed 5,180 tonnes. ICES’ 2025 overview also notes bass abundance has been improving in the English Channel, though mixed trends persist elsewhere. The new UK limit is designed to sit within that science, with enforcement through the existing closed period and size limits. (asd.ices.dk)

Spurdog tells a different story-one of gradual recovery after years of decline. ICES now estimates the Northeast Atlantic stock can support catches of around 22,594 tonnes in 2026 under an MSY approach. Reflecting that, the UK and EU agreed a 2026 total allowable catch of 10,875 tonnes after deducting other coastal states’ activity, and crucially to drop the precautionary 100 cm maximum landing size that had been used to shield breeding females while the stock rebuilt. (asd.ices.dk)

In the UK, that international deal is being implemented domestically by removing picked dogfish from the blanket prohibited‑species list and managing it through licence conditions instead. Scottish Government correspondence to MSPs confirms the UK statutory instrument will enact the bass bag‑limit change and the spurdog adjustment, aligning home rules with the 10 December 2025 UK–EU agreement and current scientific evidence. (parliament.scot)

What does licence‑based management mean at sea? In practice, vessel licences can set monthly tonnage caps, gear conditions and landing rules that can be updated quickly as new data arrives. When the fishery reopened in 2023, for example, UK licences limited some vessels to no more than five tonnes of spurdog per month and initially barred landings of fish over 100 cm-measures now being recalibrated in line with the 2026 deal. That flexibility is the point: controls can tighten or ease without waiting for a new law each time. (gov.uk)

For coastal economies, the bass change is modest but welcome. Charter skippers have long argued that a two‑fish cap constrained bookings on fair‑weather weekends; moving to three fish restores a little headroom while keeping the February–March closure and 42 cm minimum size that safeguard spawning fish. Angling groups back the uplift but warn that rising bycatch in some mixed fisheries still needs attention alongside recreational rules. (anglingtrust.net)

For fishers targeting mixed demersal species, the spurdog update should reduce dead discards by allowing better use of unavoidable catches, while scientific work in 2026 will examine survivability to inform any future high‑survivability exemptions. The UK–EU record of talks also flags potential work on a minimum size for spurdog to add another layer of protection if needed. These are sensible, adaptive levers that can keep the recovery on track. (gov.scot)

For recreational anglers: measure accurately, keep only fish over 42 cm, and plan for catch‑and‑release in February and March. Check the MMO bass page before trips so you’re working to the latest wording once the instrument takes effect. Good handling matters-wet hands, minimal air exposure, and swift release for undersize or out‑of‑season fish reduce post‑release mortality and help keep the bag limit viable. (gov.uk)

For skippers: read your licence variation in full. Expect specific monthly limits and reporting conditions for spurdog, and make sure crew know the handling protocols agreed with buyers and regulators. If in doubt, call your administrator before landing. The bigger prize here is confidence: transparent logbooks and clean handling data make it easier for officials to keep the fishery open while stocks continue to improve. (gov.uk)

Zooming out, this is what climate‑aware fisheries management looks like in 2026: small, test‑and‑learn adjustments built on ICES advice, with fast feedback through licensing and regular UK–EU check‑ins. It is not a free‑for‑all. It is a cautious nudge towards access where the science allows-paired with the responsibility, from all of us on the water, to keep the numbers honest and the recovery real. (gov.scot)