The Ministry of Fisheries have set up specific requirements for reporting and returning SPD to the sea.

On 1 October 2004 Spiny Dogfish (SPD) was added to the 6th schedule. The 6th schedule of the Fisheries Act 1996 lists stocks that may be returned to the sea. The Ministry of Fisheries have set up specific requirements for reporting and returning SPD.
The regulations state that:
"a commercial fisher may return any spiny dogfish (whether live or dead) to the waters from which it was taken".

If you return SPD to the sea you must use the code "M" on your landing returns. Destination "M" can only be used for fish that are listed in Part 6A of Schedule 3 of the Fisheries (Reporting) Regulations 2001 and are returned to the water. SPD is listed in Part 6A of Schedule 3 of the Fisheries (Reporting) Regulations 2001.

Therefore, any SPD returned to the sea is to be recorded on the landing returns with a destination type of "M". On trawl forms any SPD returned to the sea should be recorded with a processed code of "DIS" as defined in the explanatory notes of trawl forms. Fish reported with the destination type "M" must go on MHRs (and therefore will count against ACE).

Please note that these instructions only relate to SPD.