Understanding Wildlife Protection: The Fish: You can look but you can't catch! There are twelve fish in the UK currently protected under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 (WACA81)

Sunday, 18 October 2009

The Fish: You can look but you can't catch! There are twelve fish in the UK currently protected under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 (WACA81)

Under UK law (not including Channel Islands and Isle of Man) and United Nations Convention Law Of the Sea(UNCLOS) territorial waters extend twelve nautical miles from baseline (low water mark). This area is the limit of UK police jurisdiction, any area beyond this distance is then the responsibility of the European Union.

Sturgeon Acipenser sturio: This species has been protected under Schedule 5, and all parts of section 9 WACA81 since 1992 and is currently listed on CITES under Appendix 1, IUCN Red List as critically endangered. The Habitats Regulations and Offshore Habitats Regulations also protect these fish for 200 nautical miles from UK baseline. There is currently an international action plan for the restoration of the European Sturgeon.

Due to the Sturgeon not maturing until 10-15 years they must overcome a number of environmental factors in the rivers, estuaries and shallow seas that they occupy while juveniles.