Amended Potting Permit Conditions are being issued that apply from 7th November 2025.
Amended Potting Permit Conditions are being circulated and will come into force on 7th November 2025.
If you are a current Potting Permit Holder you will receive your amended Potting Permit Conditions shortly. These Potting Permit Conditions replace the previous edition valid from 9th August 2021.
Updated Annexes are also being issued. There are no material changes to the spatial restrictions set out in the Annexes. However, the presentation of the Annexes has been improved and explanations, relating to the spatial restrictions set out in the Annexes, are now provided.
What has changed?
The Potting Permit Conditions now include the following provision:
Paragraph 2.6.1 states that:
A permit holder or named representative is not authorised, whilst fishing in the District, to store sea fisheries resources in a vivier tank or tanks below the uppermost continuous deck that have a volume (in aggregate) that exceeds two cubic metres.
A new interpretation has been added as follows:
- “vivier tank” means a tank or storage compartment used or capable of being used to contain live sea fisheries resources immersed in or dampened by water.
Explanation of the new Potting Permit Condition
The Potting Permit Condition (2.6.1) only applies to vessels fitted with vivier tanks below the uppermost continuous deck that have a volume (in aggregate) that exceeds two cubic metres as set out above. Vessels with these vivier tanks, as described above, can still fish within the District under a Potting Permit. However, whilst fishing within the District any sea fisheries resources on board cannot be placed into the below deck vivier tank. The term “fishing” includes searching for sea fisheries resources, shooting, setting, towing, hauling of a fishing gear, and taking sea fisheries resources on board.
When a vessel with a vivier tank, as described above, leaves the District the sea fisheries resources can be placed into the below deck vivier tank. However, the vessel cannot return to fish within the District whilst there are any sea fisheries resources in the below deck vivier tank.
A vessel with sea fisheries resources in the below deck vivier tank, as described above, can transit through the District to land the catch. However, it cannot stop and fish in the District on route to the port of landing.
Why the Changes?
During 2024 and 2025 the D&S IFCA Byelaw and Permitting Sub-Committee discussed the management of pot fisheries in the District. During this time the B&PSC was made aware of the views of fishers gathered during port meetings and from informal consultation (Have Your Say) that began on 18th October 2024 and ended on 15th November 2024.
In 2025 the B&PSC focussed on a potential prohibition, from fishing in the District, on all potting vessels that are equipped with one or more vivier tanks below the uppermost continuous deck with a volume (in aggregate) that exceeds two cubic metres. This potential prohibition became the proposal from the B&PSC for formal consultation that began on 25th April 2025 and ended on 23rd May 2025.
On 26th June 2025 the B&PSC considered the responses submitted in the formal consultation. The B&PSC also considered advice from D&S IFCA Officers to amend their proposal and include the words “whilst fishing in the District”.
On 16th October 2025 the B&PSC agreed to the change to the Potting Permit Conditions.
Other Information
All Officers’ papers and reports presented to the B&PSC are published on D&S IFCA’s website. Papers for more recent meetings can be found on the Authority and B&PSC Meetings page. Older papers and minutes from B&PSC meetings can also be found in D&S IFCA’s website Resource Library (Section B). The B&PSC meetings are public meetings and are open to the public. A list of D&S IFCA’s B&PSC Members can be found on the Our Members website page.
During 2024/2025 multiple papers and reports were presented to the B&PSC. The findings of the informal consultation (Have Your Say) and the formal consultation can be read using the links below. The advice offered by Officers regarding including “whilst fishing in the District” within the new Potting Permit Conditions can also be read using the links below.
Potting Management Informal Consultation (Have Your Say) Report
Formal Consultation Report – Amendments to the Potting Permit Conditions
The Officers’ advice – Amendments to the Potting Permit Conditions (June 2025)
The Officers’ advice – Amendments to the Potting Permit Conditions (October 2025)
Questions
If you wish to discuss the changes to the Potting Permit Conditions or have other permit related questions that you would wish to raise with D&S IFCA, please contact us, by email, office@devonandsevernifca.gov.uk or by phone 01803 854648.