Whelk Permit Update
New permit conditions to come into effect from 1 April 2026
As of 1 April 2026, whelk fishermen must:
- Keep whelk catch taken from inside the IFCA district separate from catch taken outside the IFCA district;
- Store catch in separate, clearly identifiable containers on board the vessel at all times; and
- Report the quantities of catch from inside and outside of the Eastern IFCA district separately on catch return forms.
The full wording of the new permit condition can be found here.
The Authority agreed to the measures at the 62nd Eastern IFCA Meeting (Action Item 14) held on 10 December 2025. The permit conditions is intended to facilitate compliance monitoring relating to the pot limitation and enhance the accuracy of catch returns data used to inform fisheries management assessments.
REMINDER: Apply for whelk permits and pot tags.
A new permit and new whelk pots tags are required to continue to fish from 1 April 2026. Please submit applications for whelk permits at the earliest opportunity to apply new pot tags prior to 1 April 2026 and avoid any undue delays in operating in the whelk fishery.
The associated whelk permit fee must be received by the Authority before permits are issued. The Authority may also seek to inspect fishing gear prior to issuing a permit.