Minimum Landing Size (MLS)

Minimum landing size (MLS) is the smallest length at which a fish may be legally retained and landed, a technical measure that protects juveniles until they can spawn at least once. Fish below the MLS must be returned or, under a landing obligation, counted against quota and not sold for human consumption. The EU renamed it the minimum conservation reference size under Regulation 1380/2013; the North Sea cod size is 35 cm. MLS works only when paired with size-selective gear such as adequate mesh, otherwise undersized fish are caught, killed, and discarded.