European Fishery MLS explained

In European Union member states, there exists a standard set of minimum landing sizes (MLS) for all major species of finfish and shellfish. These MLS are set under EU Council Regulation 850/98.

Species	Image	MLS^[1]	MLS Skagerrak/Kattegat
Cod Gadus morhua		350 mm	300 mm
Haddock Melanogrammus aeglefinus		300 mm	270 mm
Saithe (Coalfish) Pollachius virens		350 mm	300 mm
Pollock Pollachius pollachius		300 mm	–
European Hake Merluccius merluccius		270 mm	300 mm
Megrim Lepidorhombus spp.		200 mm	250 mm
Sole Soleidae or solea		240 mm	240 mm
Plaice Pleuronectes platessa		270 mm	270 mm
Whiting Merlangius merlangus		270 mm	230 mm
Common ling Molva molva		630 mm	–
Blue ling Molva dipterygiall		700 mm	–
Bass Dicentrarchus labrax		420 mm	–
Norway lobster Nephrops norvegicus		85 mm^[2]	130 (40) mm ^[3]
Mackerel Scomber spp.		200 mm (300 mm in North Sea)	200 mm
Herring Clupea harengus		200 mm	180 mm
Horse mackerel Trachurus spp.		150 mm	150 mm
Sardine Sardina pilchardus		110 mm	–
European lobster Homarus gammarus		87 mm^[4]	220 mm (78 mm)
Spinous spider crab Maia squinado		Male: 130 mmFemale: 120 mm	–
Queen scallop Chlamys spp.		40 mm	–
Grooved carpetshell Ruditapes decussatus		40 mm	–
Carpetshell Venerupis pullastra		38 mm	–
Short-necked clam Ruditapes philippinarum		35 mm	–
Clam Venus verruosa		40 mm	–
Smooth clam Callista chione		60 mm	–
Atlantic jackknife clam Ensis spp.		100 mm	–
Surf clam Spisula solida		25 mm	–
Donax clam Donax spp.		25 mm	–
Bean solen Pharus legumen		65 mm	–
Whelk Buccinum undatum		45 mm	–
Octopus Octopus vulgaris		750 grams	–
Swordfish Xiphias gladius		1250 mm or 25 kg ^lower mandible	–
Atlantic bluefin tuna Thunnus thynnus		700 mm or 6.4 kg	–
Crayfish Palinurus spp.		95 mm	–
Deepwater rose shrimp		22 mm	–

See also

• List of harvested aquatic animals by weight

Notes and References

1. Web site: Minimum Conservation Reference Sizes (MCRS) in UK waters. GOV.UK. en. 2019-10-29.
2. There are various MLS for prawns depending on the area in which they are caught. Common MLS are carapace lengths of 25 mm or 20 mm combined with a total length of 85 mm or 70 mm. See here for full details.
3. The MLS for prawns is a minimum total length of 130 mm with a minimum carapace length of 40 mm.
4. Size given is for minimum carapace length. No minimum total length is stipulated.