Fishing vessel weekly licence variations: 30 December 2022

Licences are issued by the Scottish Ministers using powers in section 15 of the Fisheries Act 2020. Variations to those licences are made using powers granted to the Scottish Ministers under Schedule 3 paragraph 2 of the Fisheries Act 2020. Notices of those variations are made in accordance with Article 3 (2)(c)(ii) of The Sea Fishing (Licences and Notices) (Scotland) Regulations 2011.


Fishing vessel quota limits tables 2023 - showing the quota limits applicable to both 10m and under non-PO and over 10m non-sector vessels.

Fisheries closures table 2023 - showing the current status of fish stocks following the issue and publication of the above variations (if any).

Economic link - updated licence condition

Producer Organisation/Non-Producer Organisation Group

Type of Licence

Licence conditions text amendment

Effective date

ALL 10 metre and over groups

AO

Updated licence conditions – economic link

9.1 This condition applies to any vessel whose total landings in a calendar year of herring; mackerel, Nephrops, haddock, monkfish, cod, hake and whiting amount to 10 or more tonnes. In these circumstances, the licence holder must ensure that there is a real economic link between the fishing activities of the vessel and Scotland.

9.2 A real economic link will be deemed to have been complied with in relation to fishing operations conducted between 1 January 2023 and 31 December 2023 if the following criteria are met:

a.) Landings

  • Demersal/shellfish species – at least 55% by weight of all landings must be made directly into Scottish ports. Demersal/shellfish species will mean, for the purposes of this condition: Nephrops, haddock, monkfish, cod, hake and whiting.
  • Pelagic Species – at least 30% by weight of all landings must be made directly into Scottish Ports. Pelagic stocks will mean, for the purposes of this condition, mackerel and herring or,

b.) Transfer of Quotas (“Quota Gifting”)

  • The owner of the vessel transfers to the Scottish Government fishing opportunities for quota species equivalent to 26 per cent of monetary value of the shortfall in landings of quota species that would result in compliance with condition 9.2 (a) above.

9.3 The licence holder is responsible for demonstrating compliance with whatever option has been chosen to the satisfaction of the Scottish Ministers.

0001 hours on 1 January 2023

Change in catch limits

Producer Organisation/Non-Producer Organisation Group

Type of Licence

Reason

Species

Area of Sea

Limit

Effective Date

10 Metre and Under -  Non PO

AU

Change in catch limit

Anglerfish

EU waters of IIa & IV

3 tonnes per quarter

0001 hours on 1 January 2023

10 Metre and Under -  Non PO

AU

Change in catch limit

Anglerfish

VI; EU and International Waters of Vb; International Waters of XII & XIV

250kgs per month

0001 hours on 1 January 2023

10 Metre and Under -  Non PO

AU

Change in catch limit

Lemon sole & witches

EU Waters of IIa & IV

1 tonne per quarter

0001 hours on 1 January 2023

10 Metre and Under – Non PO

AU

Change in catch limit

Ling

EU Waters of IV

500kgs per month

0001 hours on 1 January 2023

10 Metre and Under – Non PO

AU

Change in catch limit

Ling

EU & International Waters of VI, VII, VIII, IX, X, XII, XIV

500kgs per month

0001 hours on 1 January 2023

10 Metre and Under – Non PO

AU

Change in catch limit

Nephrops

EU Waters of IIa & IV

20 tonnes per quarter

0001 hours on 1 January 2023

10 Metre and Under – Non PO

AU

Change in catch limit

Nephrops

VI, EU and International Waters of Vb

20 tonnes per quarter

0001 hours on 1 January 2023

10 Metre and Under – Non PO

AU

Change in catch limit

Saithe

IIIa & IV; EU Waters of IIa, IIIbc

500kgs per month

0001 hours on 1 January 2023

NON - MEMBER

AO

Change in catch limit

Nephrops

EU Waters of IIa & IV

20 tonnes per quarter

0001 hours on 1 January 2023

NON - MEMBER

AO

Change in catch limit

Nephrops

VI, EU and International Waters of Vb

20 tonnes per quarter

0001 hours on 1 January 2023

Licence condition changes 

Producer Organisation/Non-Producer Organisation Group

Type of Licence

Licence conditions text amendment

Effective date

ALL groups

AU,AUP & AO

AU/AUP – condition 2.6

AO – condition 2.8

Notwithstanding any quota limitation detailed in the Annexes, the vessel to which this licence relates may retain on board and land Cod caught in ICES Divisions VIa; EU and International Waters of Vb east of 12°00'W only insofar as such catches do not exceed 1.5 tonnes by live weight retained on board the vessel, during each fishing trip.

0001 hours on 1 January 2023

ALL groups

AU,AUP & AO

Removal of licence condition

AU/AUP – condition 2.8

AO – condition 2.10

Notwithstanding any quota limitation detailed in the Annexes, the vessel to which this licence relates may retain on board and land Whiting, caught in ICES Divisions Vb (EC Zone), VI, XII (International Waters) and XIV (International Waters) only insofar as such catches do not exceed 20% by live weight of the total catch retained on board the vessel during each fishing trip.

0001 hours on 1 January 2023

All Groups

AO/AU/AUP

Stanhope Ground – seasonal cod closure coordinates change

AO - Condition 5.7 – AO

AU/AUP - Condition 5.6 - AU/AUP

60° 10'N - 02°00'E

60° 10'N - 02°45'E

60° 25'N - 01°45'E

60° 25'N - 02°00'E

0001 hours on 1 January 2023

Openings and closures

Producer Organisation/Non-Producer Organisation Group

Type of Licence

Reason

Species

Area of Sea

limit

Effective Date

10 Metre and Under - Non PO AU Opening Cod IV; EU Waters of IIa 350kgs per month 0001 hours on 1 January 2023

10 Metre and Under – Non PO

(Moray Firth)

AU

Closure

Mackerel

Moray Firth

 

0001 hours on 1 January 2023

10 Metre and Under – Non PO

(Shetland)

AU

Closure

Mackerel

Shetland

 

0001 hours on 1 January 2023

10 Metre and Under – Non PO

 

(Orkney)

AU

Closure

Mackerel

Orkney

 

0001 hours on 1 January 2023

10 Metre and Under – Non PO

 

(Ivb)

AU

Closure

Mackerel

Ivb

 

0001 hours on 1 January 2023

10 Metre and Under -  Non PO

AU

Closure

Mackerel

VI,VII,VIIIabde; EU and International Waters of Vb; International Waters if IIa, XII & XIV

 

0001 hours on 1 January 2023

Non-sector

AO

Closure

Mackerel

IIIa & IV: EU Waters of IIa, IIIbcd

 

0001 hours on 1 January 2023

Non-sector

AO

Closure

Mackerel

VI, VII, VIIIabde; EU and International Waters if V; International Waters of IIa, XII & IV

 

0001 hours on 1 January 2023

Effort allocations confirmed

Producer Organisation/Non-Producer Organisation Group

Type of Licence

Reason

Species

Area of Sea

Limit

Effective Date

ALL over 15m vessels

AO

(2023) Effort allocation confirmed

Edible crab (Cancer pagurus) and Spider Crab (Maja Squinado)

VII

160 days for the period 1 January 2023 – 31 December 2023 (2023)

0001 hours on 1 January 2023

ALL over 15m vessels

AO

(Quarter 1)

Effort allocation confirmed

Scallops

VII

65 days for the period 1 January 2023 – 31 March 2023

0001 hours on 1 January 2023

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