Collection

Catch Quota Trials

Catch quota management is an alternative system of managing fish quotas that counts all catches of fish at sea against a vessel’s quota.

Those taking part are able to get extra quota for some fish species as long as they don’t discard any of these – regardless of size. Fish below the minimum legal size must be landed but not sold and will still count against the quota. Fishers decide how to avoid unwanted catches, either by moving area or using bigger meshes in their nets. If fishers run out of quota for a species they have to stop fishing.

The extra quota cannot be more than 30% of a vessel’s usual catch and no more than 75% of the amount they may have thrown away before. If a vessel sticks to these rules, they will get some extra quota, and those fishing in the North Sea are less restricted in the number of days they can spend fishing.

Some participants are also provided with a degree of flexibility from rigid technical rules about fishing nets, which are also being reviewed as part of the Common Fisheries Policy reform process.

The trails will be run in accordance with the rules agreed in December Council 2015, which will be adopted in the quota regulations 2016.

These rules enable vessels participating in fully documented fisheries, including the use of CCTV coverage, to secure additional quota for certain stocks.

Reports

Updates to this page

Published 11 June 2014
Last updated 19 September 2016 + show all updates
  1. North sea cod catch quota trials final report 2015 added

  2. Catch Quota Trials: Western Haddock Final Report 2014 added

  3. North Sea Cod Catch Quota Trials: Final Report 2014 added

  4. Catch Quota Trials: South West Beam Trawl 2013 final report added

  5. Text change: The trails will be run in accordance with the rules agreed in December Council 2014, which will be adopted in the quota regulations 2015. These rules enable vessels participating in fully documented fisheries, including the use of CCTV coverage, to secure additional quota for certain stocks.

  6. Added new report - Catch Quota Trial final report for western haddock in 2013.

  7. Added new report on haddock and selectivity

  8. Added a document with the terms and conditions for taking part in the scheme in 2014.

  9. Catch Quota Trials: North Sea cod 2013 final report added

  10. First published.