Legal minimum sizes (statutory)
These are the minimum conservation reference sizes established under EU law for the Irish EEZ. Undersized fish must be returned immediately and carefully. Source: SFPA Minimum Conservation Reference Sizes (Irish EEZ).
| Species | Min size | Bag limit note |
|---|---|---|
| Bass | 42 cm | 2 per 24h (Bye-Law No. 826 of 2007); catch and release only 1 Feb to 31 Mar (Irish Sea); no angling 15 May to 15 June (Bye-Law No. 826 of 2007). Size: EU MCRS / Reg. 2026/249 |
| Cod | 35 cm | No general recreational bag limit |
| Coalfish (saithe) | 35 cm | No general recreational bag limit |
| Pollack | 30 cm | 3 per 24h, then catch and release (Pollack Bye-Law No. 1028 of 2026) |
| Haddock | 30 cm | No general recreational bag limit |
| Plaice | 27 cm | No general recreational bag limit |
| Whiting | 27 cm | No general recreational bag limit |
| Sole | 24 cm | No general recreational bag limit |
| Mackerel | 20 cm | No statutory bag limit |
| Herring | 20 cm | No general recreational bag limit |
| Horse mackerel (scad) | 15 cm | No general recreational bag limit |
| Edible / brown crab | 140 mm | Shellfish MCRS (carapace width) |
| Lobster | 87 mm (max 127 mm) | Shellfish MCRS; maximum size also applies |
| Velvet crab | 65 mm | Shellfish MCRS (carapace width) |
| Whelk | 25 mm diameter / 45 mm length | Shellfish MCRS |
| Flounder | No statutory MCRS (Common voluntary size 25 cm) | 25 cm is a common voluntary size, not a legal minimum |
| Tope | N/A | Return strongly advised; vulnerable, not legally size-limited in Ireland |
| Dogfish | N/A | Not size-protected. Unhook carefully and return; poor eating |
| Smoothhound | N/A | Catch and release strongly recommended |
Voluntary catch and release
No legal minimum size does not mean anything goes, and some sizes people assume are voluntary are actually law. Pollack has a statutory minimum conservation reference size of 30 cm in the Irish EEZ, and the 2026 pollack bye-law (No. 1028 of 2026) adds a three-fish, 24-hour bag limit, after which fishing continues on a catch and release basis only. For species with no statutory size, such as flounder, many Irish anglers follow voluntary club and specimen sizes and return anything small or unwanted regardless. A fish returned quickly and supported in the water until it kicks away survives far more often than one dropped on dry shingle.
Tope, smoothhound and many ray species are widely released on Irish shores even when retention is not prohibited, because stocks are vulnerable or fish are poor table fare.
Dogfish are abundant and not protected, but most anglers still unhook carefully and return them. The species guide notes conservation status per fish.
How to measure fish correctly
Bass are measured from the tip of the lower jaw to the tip of the tail. Use a flat measure or bump board, not a curved tape along the body. When in doubt, return the fish.
For flounder and other flatfish without a statutory MCRS, measure total length if you follow a voluntary club size. For pollack, the statutory 30 cm MCRS uses the same total-length measure as other round fish.
Species with extra rules beyond size
Minimum size is only one layer. Bass carries a spawning closure and a bag limit. Pollack carries a three-fish, 24-hour bag limit from June 2026. Read the dedicated guides rather than relying on this table alone.
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