Sea Fisheries Committee

"They manage the inshore waters from mean high water mark out to 6 miles from the points where the baselines as they existed at 25th January 1983 defined the extent of the Territorial Sea. Their responsibilities cover all marine fish and shellfish including the fisheries for cockles, mussels and other shellfish found between high and low water marks" Quote from Association of Sea Fisheries Committees [1]

There are twelve Sea Fisheries Committees (SFCs) that regulate local sea fisheries around virtually the entire coast of England and Wales out to 6 nautical miles. SFCs were established in the 19th century and are empowered to make byelaws for the management and conservation of their districts' fisheries. Bylaws can apply to all fishing activities within the District, whether from the shore or from a vessel. In 1995 their powers were widened to include the control of fisheries in their districts for marine environmental purposes. SFCs work in co-operation with stakeholders on both a local and national level to deliver effective fisheries management in the inshore marine area.
Information from DEFRA.

• A full list of all Sea Fisheries Committees can be found on WhatDoTheyKnow.com[2]

• Cornwall Sea Fisheries Committee
• Cumbria Sea Fisheries Committee
• Devon Sea Fisheries Committee
• Eastern Sea Fisheries Committee
• Isles of Scilly Sea Fisheries Committee
• Kent and Essex Sea Fisheries Committee
• North Eastern Sea Fisheries Committee
• Northumberland Sea Fisheries Committee
• North West Sea Fisheries Committee
• Sea Fish Industry Authority
• Southern Sea Fisheries Committee
• Sussex Sea Fisheries Committee

The Marine and Coastal Access Act 2009 will replace the Sea Fisheries Committees with Inshore Fisheries and Conservation Authorities in England, probably in April 2011. In Wales, the Sea Fisheries committees have already been abolished and their functions absorbed into the Welsh Assembly Government.[3]