Variation Issued: Saturday 01 April 2023
Updated 26 April 2024
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This publication is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/fishing-vessel-licence-variations/variation-issued-saturday-01-april-2023
1. The variation effective from 00:01hrs Saturday 01April 2023 is as follows:
1.1 Under 10m Non-Sector Quota Increase
- Affecting Licence Category A (91/99) and Category A Limited (94/99)
| SPECIES | SEA AREA (AS STATED IN ANNEXE) | QUOTA FROM (TONNES) | QUOTA TO (TONNES) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cod | IIa and IV | 3t | 4t |
| Cod | VIIb-c, VIIe-k, (Strictly Bycatch Only) | 0.2t | 0.3t |
| Skates and Rays | VIa-b & VIIa-c, e-k | 6t | 8t |
| Whiting | VIIb-k | 3t | 4t |
1.2 Under 10m Non-Sector Quota Decrease
- Affecting Licence Category A (91/99) and Category A Limited (94/99)
| SPECIES | SEA AREA (AS STATED IN ANNEXE) | QUOTA FROM (TONNES) | QUOTA TO (TONNES) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sole | VIIe | 2t | 1.5t |
| Pollock | VII | 30t Quarterly | 10t monthly |
1.3 Over 10m Non-Sector Quota Increase
- Affecting Licence Category A (11/99), Cat A Island (12/99), Category B (31/99) and Category C (41/99)
| SPECIES | SEA AREA (AS STATED IN ANNEXE) | QUOTA FROM (TONNES) | QUOTA TO (TONNES) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Skates and Rays | VIa-b & VIIa-c, e-k | 6t | 8t |
1.4 Changes to Bass Measures
- Affecting all categories in licence schedules
For vessels using demersal trawls and seines the vessel may only retain on board:
a. unavoidable by-catches of sea bass that do not exceed 5% of the weight of the total catches of marine organisms on board during any single fishing trip, and
b. no more than 3 .8 tonne (3800kg) per vessel per year.
For vessels which have been authorised to fish using hooks and lines, the vessel may only retain on board or land sea bass which does not exceed in total 6.2 tonnes per calendar year.
For vessels which have been authorised to fish using fixed gillnets, the vessel may only retain on board bycatches of sea bass not exceeding 1.6 tonnes per calendar year.
1.5 Prohibited Species Removed From Part I: Species For Which You May Not Fish
- Affecting all categories in licences annexes
| SPECIES | SEA AREA (AS STATED IN ANNEXE) |
|---|---|
| Picked dogfish, also known as Spurdog (Squalus acanthias) | I, II, III, IV, V, VI, VII, VIII, XII, XIV |
1.6 New Fishing Restrictions For Spurdog
- Affecting all categories in licence schedules
Each calendar year a fishing vessel may retain on board and land spurdog (also known as Picked dogfish (Squalus acanthias)) caught in Western (ICES areas: 6, 7 and 8; United Kingdom and international waters of 5; international waters of 1, 12 and 14) and North Sea (ICES areas: United Kingdom and European Union waters 4; United Kingdom waters of 2a) areas - provided that the following conditions, when operating in both UK and EU waters, are met:
(a) No more than 5 tonnes caught in the Western area, in live weight, may be retained on board or landed per calendar month,
(b) It is prohibited to retain, tranship or land specimens over 100cm in length as measured from the end of the tail to the tip of the snout
1.7 Scallop Effort Days for Q2
- Affecting licence Schedules for Category A (11), Category A Islands (12), Category A Pelagic (17), Category B (31) and Category C (41)
Western Water scallop effort days set to 70 days for Q2 (00:01 hrs 1st April 2023 – 23:59 30th June 2023)
1.8 Queen Scallop Closure Added to Licence Schedules
- Affecting Over 10m Licence Schedules for Category A (11), Category A Islands (12), Category A Pelagic (17), Category B (31) and Category C (41),
- Affecting Under 10m Licence Schedules for Category A (91), Category A PO (91), Category A Limited (94)
This licence does not authorise fishing for queen scallops (aequipecten opercularis) in ICES area VIa and VIIa between 00:01 hours on 1st April 2023 and 23:59 hours on 30th June 2023.
1.9 Amendment to Conditions
- Affecting licence Category A (11), Category A Islands (12), Category A Pelagic (17), Category B (31) and Category C (41)
Updates to Compliance Visiting Condition dates from 1 April 2022 – 30 September 2022 and 1 October 2022 – 31 March 2023 to 1 April 2023 – 30 September 2023 and 1 October 2023 – 31 March 2024.
The most up to date licences can be accessed on the understand your fishing vessel licence webpage.
It is your responsibility to check variations before going to sea as they can be changed at any time.
If you have any queries, please contact the Fisheries Management Team.