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Found the document on the EU site about who is allowed to fish for Bass in 2017 and what the limits are: In summary: On 13 December the Council adopted the following measures for 2017: No fishing for sea bass by commercial vessels targeting sea bass, except for long lines, pole and lines who will have a closure of two months in February and March 2017 and a maximum catch limit of 10 tonnes per year; A monthly limit of 250 kg for vessels deploying fixed gillnets and traps to cover unavoidable by-catches; A small by-catch allowance of 3% and a maximum of 400 kg is envisaged for demersal trawlers and seiners. The decision of the Council takes into account that artisanal hooks and line fisheries depend on sea bass to a greater extent and may not have other alternatives to catch. Recreational anglers are asked to practise a catch and release fishery in the first half of the year and to limit their catches to one fish per day in the second half of 2017. So seems like it is rod and line only, but 250kg per month for gill netters as by catch is a lot of by catch. The Recreational angler 'asked' does that mean it is just a request? Here is the full document. QA sea bass Dec 2016.pdf