Minimumsstørrelse

Minimumsstørrelse (literally "minimum size" in Danish and Norwegian) is a general term used to designate the smallest permitted or functional dimension of an object, organism, or system according to legal, technical, biological or design criteria. It is applied across many fields to ensure safety, usability, conservation or regulatory compliance.

In fisheries and wildlife management, minimumsstørrelse denotes the smallest legal size an individual may be retained to protect juvenile animals and allow reproduction. Limits are typically species‑specific, set by authorities, and may be measured as total length or weight. Enforcement aims to promote sustainable harvesting but can interact with ecological and evolutionary pressures.

In product regulation and manufacturing, minimumsstørrelse can refer to packaging dimensions, label text size, component clearances or safety margins required by standards. In graphic and user interface design it indicates the smallest legible typeface, control, or icon size to maintain accessibility and usability.

Measurement and compliance rely on standardized methods and tools; exceptions and alternative measures (such as slot limits, maturity thresholds or proportional metrics) are sometimes used to better align regulations with conservation or functional goals. Debates around minimumsstørrelse often balance practical enforcement, economic impact and long‑term biological or social outcomes.