European Fishery MLS
# European Fishery MLS

In European Union member states, there exists a standard set of minimum landing sizes (MLS) for all major species of finfish and shellfish. These MLS are set under EU Council Regulation 850/98.

| Species | MLS | MLS Skagerrak/Kattegat |
| - | - | - |
| Cod Gadus morhua | 350 mm | 300 mm |
| Haddock Melanogrammus aeglefinus | 300 mm | 270 mm |
| Saithe (Coalfish) Pollachius virens | 350 mm | 300 mm |
| Pollock Pollachius pollachius | 300 mm | – |
| European Hake Merluccius merluccius | 270 mm | 300 mm |
| Megrim Lepidorhombus spp. | 200 mm | 250 mm |
| Sole Soleidae or solea | 240 mm | 240 mm |
| Plaice Pleuronectes platessa | 270 mm | 270 mm |
| Whiting Merlangius merlangus | 270 mm | 230 mm |
| Common ling Molva molva | 630 mm | – |
| Blue ling Molva dipterygiall | 700 mm | – |
| Bass Dicentrarchus labrax | 420 mm | – |
| Norway lobster Nephrops norvegicus | 85 mm | 130 (40) mm |
| Mackerel Scomber spp. | 200 mm (300 mm in North Sea) | 200 mm |
| Herring Clupea harengus | 200 mm | 180 mm |
| Horse mackerel Trachurus spp. | 150 mm | 150 mm |
| Sardine Sardina pilchardus | 110 mm | – |
| European lobster Homarus gammarus | 87 mm | 220 mm (78 mm) |
| Spinous spider crab Maia squinado | Male: 130 mm Female: 120 mm | – |
| Queen scallop Chlamys spp. | 40 mm | – |
| Grooved carpetshell Ruditapes decussatus | 40 mm | – |
| Carpetshell Venerupis pullastra | 38 mm | – |
| Short-necked clam Ruditapes philippinarum | 35 mm | – |
| Clam Venus verruosa | 40 mm | – |
| Smooth clam Callista chione | 60 mm | – |
| Atlantic jackknife clam Ensis spp. | 100 mm | – |
| Surf clam Spisula solida | 25 mm | – |
| Donax clam Donax spp. | 25 mm | – |
| Bean solen Pharus legumen | 65 mm | – |
| Whelk Buccinum undatum | 45 mm | – |
| Octopus Octopus vulgaris | 750 grams | – |
| Swordfish Xiphias gladius | 1250 mm or 25 kg $^{lowermandible}$ | – |
| Atlantic bluefin tuna Thunnus thynnus | 700 mm or 6.4 kg | – |
| Crayfish Palinurus spp. | 95 mm | – |
| Deepwater rose shrimp Parapenaeus longirostris [es] | 22 mm | – |
