Warning to Isle of Man fishermen over undersized shellfish

The carapace of a lobster must measure at least 88mm

Fishermen on the Isle of Man have been warned to ensure they throw undersized shellfish back into the sea.

It comes after a fishing boat skipper was fined £10,000 at Douglas Courthouse last week.

Minimum shell sizes were increased by the Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture (DEFA) last year.

A spokesman for the department said the restrictions were in place to protect the sustainability and conservation of crustacean stocks around the island.

Lobsters under the minimum size must be thrown back

Under the new system the shell size for landed brown crabs is 140mm and 88mm for European lobsters, which is set to increase further to 90mm in September.

The warning follows the prosecution of a 77-year-old Port Erin fisherman, who last week pleaded guilty to being in possession of lobsters under the prescribed minimum size on 19 April.

A DEFA spokesman said the rules for the potting fishery would be "rigorously" enforced.

The industry is worth more than £2m to the Manx economy each year.

DEFA member Michelle Haywood said: 'The department is committed to the conservation and preservation of fish stocks around the Isle of Man.

"It is important that all local fishermen follow these rules otherwise they will find themselves in breach of the law and the department will prosecute offenders."