Back in 2007 I signed a petition to up the Bass MLS (minimum landing size) to 45cm This would allow every fish to spawn at least once and allow us to move to a more sustainable Bass stock. We also urge the government to lobby the EU to introduce the MLS in all member states.”

Here is the response (not good enough)

The Government announced on 25 October that the minimum landing size (MLS) for bass would remain at 36cm. In reaching this decision, the Government considered all the available science and evidence and listened carefully to representations from sea anglers and commercial fishermen.

Bass is a particularly important stock for the inshore fishing fleet, which would have borne the brunt of the cost of increasing the MLS. The Government cannot justify introducing a measure which would have such an impact on those fishermen given the current pressures they face and the healthy state of the stock at present.

However, a package of new measures has been announced that will provide benefits for stocks of bass and more widely for anglers. This includes plans for a review of Bass Nursery Areas (designated for the protection of juvenile bass) and inshore netting restrictions.