Fishing vessel weekly licence variations: 23 December 2022

Fishing vessel quota limits tables 2022 - showing the quota limits applicable to both 10m and under non-PO and over 10m non-sector vessels.

Fisheries closures table 2022 - showing the current status of fish stocks following the issue and publication of the above variations (if any).

Amendments to Scottish Economic Link Licences

 

Following a public consultation and announcement in September 2022, amended economic link licence conditions are going to come into effect from 1 January 2023. Any vessel over 10 metres in length making landings outside of Scotland should be aware of the changes below.

 

What are Economic Link arrangements

 

Since 1999, all commercial fishing vessels over 10 metres in length, landing certain species have been required to meet specific requirements to show that the vessel has an economic link to the United Kingdom.

 

What are the key changes being introduced

 

A full summary of the changes being introduced and why is set out in the consultation document and associated impact assessments (Consultation on a proposal to amend the economic link licence condition - Scottish Government - Citizen Space)

 

To summarise economic link conditions that will apply from 1 January 2022:

 

1. Only vessels with a registered length of over 10 metres will be eligible for economic link arrangements.

 

 

2. Economic link arrangements will cover the eight most important species, by landed value, into Scotland. These are – herring, mackerel, Nephrops, haddock, monkfish, cod, hake and whiting (“the 8 key species”) which account for 90% of the value of total landings by Scottish vessels of TAC stocks.

                                                                            

3. Vessels over 10 metres in length will become eligible under the revised economic link criteria if they land more than 10 tonnes of the 8 key species (identified above) in any calendar year.

 

4. There will now only be two means of satisfying economic link requirements:
   • Land the required tonnage into Scotland (see paragraphs 5. and 6. below.
   • Provide quota ("quota gifts" to the Scottish Government (see paragraph 7 below)

 

5. The required rate to satisfy the landings target will increase from 50% to 55% for demersal and shellfish stocks covered by the provision;

 

6. The landings target rate for pelagic species will be phased in and increased to 55% over a three year period. This will see the introduction of the following landings targets for pelagic species:

 

1. 30% landings in 2023
2. 40% landings in 2024
3. 55% landings in 2025

 

Further information on quota gifting is available in the outcome report Consultation on proposals to amend the economic link licence condition: Outcome Report.

Variations 

Producer Organisation/Non-Producer Organisation Group	Type of Licence	Reason	Species	Area of Sea	Limit	Effective Date
10 Metre and Under – Non PO (Moray Firth)	AU	Change in catch limit	Mackerel	Moray Firth	Weekly catch limit of 2 tonnes	0001 hours on 25 December 2022 – 2359 hours on 31 December 2022
10 Metre and Under – Non PO (Shetland)	AU	Change in catch limit	Mackerel	Shetland	Weekly catch limit of 1.5 tonnes	0001 hours on 25 December 2022 – 2359 hours on 31 December 2022on 10 December 2022
10 Metre and Under – Non PO   (Orkney)	AU	Change in catch limit	Mackerel	Orkney	Weekly catch limit of 1 tonne	0001 hours on 25 December 2022 – 2359 hours on 31 December 2022
10 Metre and Under – Non PO   (Ivb)	AU	Change in catch limit	Mackerel	Ivb	Weekly catch limit of 2 tonnes	0001 hours on 25 December 2022 – 2359 hours on 31 December 2022

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Please note the forthcoming UKFMC operational hours

Mon 19th Dec	Normal Operational Hours
Tue 20th Dec	Normal Operational Hours
Wed 21st Dec	Normal Operational Hours
Thu 22nd Dec	Operational until 22:30hrs
Fri 23rd Dec	0830 to 1700
Sat 24th Dec	0830 to 1700
Sun 25th Dec	CLOSED
Mon 26th Dec	CLOSED
Tue 27th Dec	0830 to 1700
Wed 28th Dec	0830 to 1700
Thu 29th Dec	0830 to 1700
Fri 30th Dec	0830 to 1700
Sat 31st Jan	0830 to 1700
Sun 1st Jan	CLOSED
Mon 2nd Jan	Operational 24 hours from 07:00hrs onwards