Sea Fisheries Citation and commencement 1 These Regulations may be cited as the Conservation of Scallops Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2008 and shall come into operation on 17th November 2008. Interpretation 2 1 In these Regulations— “ the Act ” means the Fisheries Act (Northern Ireland) 1966; “belly rings” means rings which make up the floor of a scallop dredge; ... “defined area” means Northern Ireland inshore waters and that part of the Northern Ireland zone within twelve nautical miles measured from baselines in Northern Ireland; “dredge bar” or “tooth bar” means a horizontal bar with teeth on the bottom of a scallop dredge; “French dredge” means a scallop dredge of the type known as a “French dredge” incorporating paravanes, diving plates, pressure plates, water deflecting plates or any similar device, and having rigid fixed teeth; “scallops” means shellfish of the species Pecten maximus ; “scallop dredge” includes any appliance with a rigid framed mouth which is towed through the water and is manufactured, adapted, used or intended for use for the purpose of fishing for scallops; “size” in relation to any scallop means the size calculated by measuring the maximum length of the shell; “Strangford Lough” shall be construed in accordance with the Inshore Fishing (Prohibition of Fishing and Fishing Methods) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1993 ; “tow bar” means any device or appliance which is capable of being used for the purpose of fixing or attaching a scallop dredge to a vessel for the purpose of enabling such a dredge to be towed by the vessel; “width” in relation to any scallop dredge means the distance across the mouth of a dredge when measured horizontally. Prohibition of fishing and fishing methods 3 1 Subject to regulation 4, fishing for scallops by any means within the defined area is prohibited— a during the period commencing at 8p.m.on each weekday other than Saturday and ending at 6a.m. on the next following weekday; and b during the period commencing at 6 a.m. on each Saturday and ending at 6 a.m. on the next following Monday. 2 A person shall not use or carry on board any British fishing boat within the defined area— a a scallop dredge or system of scallop dredges with a width, or in the case of a system of scallop dredges, an aggregate width, of more than 915 cms; b a scallop dredge with more than 9 teeth per dredge or tooth bar; c a scallop dredge with a tooth spacing between the internal edges of less than 75 mm on the dredge or tooth bar; d a scallop dredge with belly rings having a clear opening of less than 75 mm internal diameter; e a scallop dredge with a mesh size of less than 100 mm in the netting cover; and f a French dredge. 3 A person shall not use or carry on board any ... fishing boat within the defined area— a a tow bar which exceeds 5.5 metres in length; b a tow bar 5.5 metres or less in length which is constructed in such a way as to enable more than 6 scallop dredges to be attached to it at the same time. 4 A person shall not fish for scallops within the defined area using more than 6 scallop dredges from each side of any ... fishing boat. 5 A person shall not, while diving, take scallops during the period 1 st June to 31 st October, both days inclusive, in any year, within the defined area. 6 Paragraph (5) shall not apply in relation to the taking of scallops in Strangford Lough. 7 A person shall not, within the defined area— a take by diving; or b land, bring to land or retain on board any ... fishing boat, scallops of a size less than 110mm. 8 A person who, within the defined area, catches fish by any means other than a scallop dredge shall not take and retain on board a ... fishing boat, scallops which are more than 1% by weight of the total of all fish on board. Exemptions 4 The prohibitions contained in Regulation 3(1), (2), (3), (4 ),(5), (7) and (8) shall not apply to— a . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . b any person who is operating under the authority of and in accordance with the terms and conditions of a fish culture licence granted under section 11 of the Act or a permit granted under section 14 of the Act. Revocation 5 The following Regulations are revoked— a The Sea Fish (Minimum Size) ( No. 2) Order (Northern Ireland) 1983 ; b The Conservation of Scallops Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1997 and c (b) The Inshore Fishing (Daily Closed Time for Scallops) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2000 . Sealed with the Official Seal of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development on 24th October 2008. Liam McKibben A senior officer of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development