I would doubt theer is anything in the statutes covering non migratory species , particularly Bass as these would not have been present when the laws were written.
Ownership
Until captured, salmon are wild animals. Once captured, the salmon belongs at common law to the captor. However, numerous statutes forbidding the taking of salmon without right or written permission, and forfeitures imposed by statute, have made possession of salmon safe only where they have been taken by lawful means. Nevertheless, the basic position is that it is not the salmon but the right to fish for them that is owned.
Thus, nobody may fish for salmon in rivers or estuaries or in the sea within territorial limits without permission of the Crown or the party vested in the Crown rights. In many cases in rivers, estuaries and in the sea, the rights have been granted to private individuals, companies, local authorities and others. Salmon fishing rights are heritable titles and may be held separately from ownership of the land or may have been given along with ownership of the land. Where the right is held separately from the land, the proprietor of the right has an implied right of access for the purpose of exercising his right to fish for salmon. The fishing right must be exercised in such a way that it causes the least prejudice to the rights of the riparian owner.
The right to fish for salmon carries with it the inferior right to fish for trout but this right must not be exercised in a way that will interfere with the rights of the riparian owner.
Access
Section 1 of the 1951 Act (as amended by the Salmon Act 1986) states:
"1. If any person without legal right, or without written permission from a person having such right, fishes for or takes salmon in any waters including any part of the sea within one mile of mean low water springs, he shall be guilty of an offence ......"
Cheers
Jim
