Does this net belong to you?
Date of Notice: 4th November 2025.
At 09:00 hours, on 16th October 2025, Devon and Severn Inshore Fisheries and Conservation Authority (D&S IFCA) Enforcement Officer Jonathan NORMAN inspected a fixed surface net at Peppercombe Beach, North Devon.
The inspected gear consisted of:
- 1 x 33 metre long surface net fixed to the seabed
This has been seized because:
- The net was seized for non-compliance with the D&S IFCA Netting Permit Byelaw (Permit Conditions) and is being held at the D&S IFCA’s gear storage compound.
- The net was set in a way that is prohibited at the location where it was identified.
- The net was located at Portledge Sands, Peppercombe Beach, North Devon.
- What3Words (w3w) location: exotic.icons.users (Ordanance Survey GR: SS39622598)
Devon and Severn IFCA Netting Permit Byelaw
- In the coastal areas as defined by the coordinates set out in the attached Annex 3 of this permit, a permit holder or named representative is not authorised to use a net unless;
a) the headline of any fixed net is at least three metres below the surface of the water at any state of the tide; or
b) the net used is a seine net; or
c) the net used is a drift net.
Explanation of the Access Restrictions:
A fixed net can only be used in Coastal Areas (Annex 3) providing the headline of any fixed net is at least three metres below the surface of the water at any state of the tide.
A seine net can only be used in the Coastal Areas (Annex 3) providing that the seine net is attended for the entire duration that it is deployed in the water, and the seine net must be deployed in one continuous action without pause or delay.
A drift net can only be used in the Coastal Areas (Annex 3) providing that the drift net is attended for the entire duration of its use, with the Permit holder or Named representative remaining within 100 metres of the net. A drift net must, throughout the entirety of its use, be free of any contact with any part of the foreshore or seabed or any object or structure.
The red hatch area in the chart above is explained in Annex 2 Rivers Taw and Torridge. If you intend to use any net in Coastal Areas (Annex 3) other restrictions apply, which are detailed in the Netting Permit Conditions.
No access for the use of a net unless in accordance with paragraph 3.4 of the Netting Permit Byelaw Permit Conditions, within the D&S IFCA’s District inside of a line drawn from Point 1 to Point 4. Between Points 2 and 3 the seaward boundary is one nautical mile seaward of the shore as defined by the lowest astronomical tide.
Claiming the net
If you believe this net is yours then please contact the D&S IFCA Office or Enforcement Officer Jonathan NORMAN
D&S IFCA Office: office@devonandsevernifca.gov.uk
Tel: 01803 854648
Enforcement Officer: j.norman@devonandsevernifca.gov.uk
Tel: 07860 270879
It is proposed that D&S IFCA will retain the net for a period of 90 days from this notice date and conduct an investigation. Should the ownership of the net not be established by this time it will be disposed of.