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Ministry of Agriculture Fisheries and Food

Answer

Mr. Porter: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when the decision was made, and by what process, to make it legal under fishing regulations for individuals and companies to buy and sell fishing quotas and licences; and if he will make a statement. [6771] Mr. Baldry: Fishing vessel licences are granted at the discretion of Fisheries Ministers under the Sea Fish (Conservation) Act 1967, as amended. No new licences are issued so that the owner of a new vessel entering the UK fleet may fish only by obtaining a licence from a previously licensed vessel. For vessels over 10m quotas are allocated to fishermen's groups, primarily producer organisations, in proportion to the catches made over the previous three years by the vessels in membership of each group. Those catches, which are attached to licences for quota management purposes, are usually referred to as track records. No charges are currently made by the Fisheries Departments for either the issue of licences or the allocation of quota. Subject to the agreement of the Fisheries Departments, Fishermen's groups may exchange quota with each other and vessel owners are permitted to transfer entitlements to apply for licences to other people. Any commercial considerations that occur are matters for the fishermen or vessel owners involved.

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

6771; 286 c625W;286 c623W

Session

1996-97

Subjects

Conservation Fees and charges Licensing Fishing catches Fishing vessels Fish Quotas