Shore Angling Code

Take care to avoid putting roosting or feeding wintering birds to flight especially when shore angling at high tide or at night

  • Avoid shore angling along the shingle beaches adjacent to the lagoons between Reculver and Birchington as these are used by summer breeding birds and the shingle is the main winter roosts.
  • Tread carefully on the rocky shore if fishing off the rocks at low tide
  • Take all waste home and dispose of it safely including old hooks, line and tackle which can hurt birds and animals
  • Take only as much bait as you need and return unused worms to the beach
  • Follow the NFSA ‘ Conservation Code for Sea Anglers’ These include taking measures to reduce tackle loss (eg lower breaking strain for hook length than main line) and use of ‘catch & release’ methods to help conserve fish stocks, returning the fish in a healthy condition
  • Abide by the ‘Recommended Retention Size Limits’ – as endorsed by the NFSA. Help conserve fish stocks by returning undersized or surplus fish alive and healthy to the sea
CatchExamples of minimum catch size (cm) National Federation of Sea Anglers (NFSA)
Bass41
Brill35
Cod35
Dab20
Flounder25
Mackerel30
Mullet33
Plaice28
Pollack30
Pouting18
Skate/Ray41*
Sole25
Turbot35
Whiting27

*wing tip to tip