Uk & Scotland Beaches.

[Matthew.Passmore]

What are the laws recarding fishing, clamming and fires on the beaches of the UK?

can you light a fire on the beech?

Thanks.

 

[fishy1]

You can do fires in scotland. You can also put out longlines and things, but check with the local SFA office first that there are not special regulations in place for the area. Migratory fish can't be caught with longlines, and all fish you do keep must be about the minimum size for the species. Same with other shellfish. For the rest of the UK, I have no idea.

 

[falling rain]

You can fish anywhere you please along our coastline without a licence. You can also collect shellfish and light a fire unless there is a sign specifically saying not to. The only restrictions are if there is a sign saying not to do any of the above. (nursery area, military training area etc.) These restrictions are few in my experience. I've had loads of fires and barbecues on the beach over the years, and collected thousands of shellfish, and dug rag, and lug worms
I'm happy to report that the discussions for a sea angling licence have been shelved for the time being so we can continue to fish (as we have done for thousands of years) for free. And quite right too.
Of course you need to observe the size limits for each species and if you're not going to eat it or use it for bait, put it back.

Here's a size limit chart http://www.sea-fishing.org/nfsa-size-limits.html it covers most species that are commonly caught.

 

[match]

I believe you're allowed to have a fire on any beach provided it is kept below the high-water mark, and its not a 'protected beach' - i.e there aren't any protected animals using it, like turtle nests,