Guidance

Understand your fishing vessel licence

• From: Marine Management Organisation
• Part of: Fisheries management and variations and Vessel licensing
• Published: 11 June 2014
• Last updated: 27 June 2017, see all updates

How to understand each part of your fishing vessel licence – vessel details, conditions, schedule, annex and their current copies.

Marine Scotland have created a single licence category for the over ten metre fleet segment in Scotland.

Different licence categories will remain in existence in England after 30 June 2017. Category B or C licence entitlements transferring from Scotland will be received as a Category B or C as they were prior to 1 July 2017.

Scottish licences created through disaggregation or aggregation in Scotland after 30 June 2017 will be tracked back to the lowest common denominator and received accordingly on transfer to England. For example a licence aggregation between an ex-Category B and an ex-Category A licence in Scotland will be received in England as a Category B licence.

Understanding your vessel licence

Your fishing vessel licence is in several parts. You must read each part carefully to make sure you understand the terms attached to it and that they are correct for your fishing activity.

Contact your local Marine Management Organisation (MMO) office with any questions and notify them immediately if any of the details are incorrect.

An incorrect licence is invalid and you could be liable to penalties.

It is your responsibility to check your licence documents before going to sea as licences can be changed at any time. MMO publishes variations online and notifies those who have provided their contact information.

You can provide MMO with up to 2 emails, mobile phone numbers, or both, as a way of getting direct alerts about changes. You can receive notifications yourself, but it may make sense to nominate someone based onshore who can contact you on your vessel quickly.

Variations are considered to have been received when they are published online. You are required, as part of your licence conditions, to check each week for any changes.

Part 1: Vessel details

This part includes:

• category of licence
• official licence number
• characteristics of your vessel
• registered owners
• specific authorities for scallop dredging, beam trawl fishing, fish for shellfish with pots, fixed nets or both
• membership of a fish producer organisation

Part 2: Conditions

This specifies how your vessel will fish. You may be directed to make landings at certain ports and times.

Part 3: Schedule

This sets out the authority under which you are allowed to fish.

Part 4: Annex

This lists species that you are not permitted to fish and any catch limits for stocks that you are able to fish and land.

Fishing vessel licences: 10 metre and under vessels - non-sector

These are vessels 10-metres-and-under that don’t belong to a producer organisation.

Uncapped licences for the non-sector and Isle of Man have the same conditions and schedules, and their own specific annexes.

• Uncapped licence: conditions (PDF, 106KB, 3 pages)

• Uncapped licence: schedule (PDF, 120KB, 4 pages)

• Uncapped licence: Lyme Bay and Torbay Site of Community Importance conditions (PDF, 80.6KB, 1 page)

• Uncapped licence: annexe (9199) (PDF, 79.5KB, 5 pages)

• Uncapped licence: annexe – Isle of Man (9123) (PDF, 199KB, 5 pages)

• Monitored licence: conditions (45) (PDF, 106KB, 3 pages)

• Monitored licence: schedule (45) (PDF, 121KB, 4 pages)

• Monitored licence: Lyme Bay and Torbay Site of Community Importance conditions (45) (PDF, 78.9KB, 1 page)

• Monitored licence: Annexe (4599) (PDF, 79.8KB, 5 pages)

Capped licences for the non-sector have the same conditions, schedule and annex.

• Capped licence: conditions (PDF, 106KB, 3 pages)

• Capped licence: schedule (PDF, 120KB, 4 pages)

• Capped licence: Lyme Bay and Torbay Site of Community Importance conditions (PDF, 80.6KB, 1 page)

• Capped licence: annexe (9499) (PDF, 69.5KB, 4 pages)

Fishing vessel licences: 10 metre and under vessels - sector

All vessels that are members of a producer organisation have the same conditions and schedule.

• Sector: conditions (PDF, 90.6KB, 3 pages)

• Sector: schedule (PDF, 120KB, 4 pages)

• Sector: Lyme Bay and Torbay Site of Community Importance conditions (PDF, 80.6KB, 1 page)

They each have their own specific annexes.

• Anglo-North Irish Fish Producers’ Organisation (911) (PDF, 122KB, 4 pages)

• Anglo-Scottish Fish Producers’ Organisation (915) (PDF, 124KB, 4 pages)

• Eastern England Fish Producers’ Organisation (9114) (PDF, 122KB, 4 pages)

• Fleetwood Fish Producers’ Organisation (9116) (PDF, 138KB, 5 pages)

• South Western Fish Producers' Organisation (913) (PDF, 125KB, 4 pages)

Fishing vessel licences: over 10 metre vessels - Category A

All Category A vessels have the same conditions and schedule.

• Category A: conditions (PDF, 199KB, 9 pages)

• Category A: schedule (PDF, 101KB, 6 pages)

• Category A: transitional condition (PDF, 199KB, 9 pages)

• Category A: Lyme Bay and Torbay Site of Community Importance conditions (PDF, 64.2KB, 1 page)

There are specific annexes for vessels in the non-sector, Isle of Man, and each producer organisation.

• Non-sector (1199) (PDF, 83.7KB, 6 pages)

• Non-sector – Isle of Man (1123) (PDF, 199KB, 5 pages)

• Aberdeen Fish Producers’ Organisation (118) (PDF, 126KB, 4 pages)

• Anglo-North Irish Fish Producers’ Organisation (111) (PDF, 122KB, 4 pages)

• Anglo-Scottish Fish Producers’ Organisation (115) (PDF, 124KB, 4 pages)

• Cornish Fish Producers’ Organisation (112) (PDF, 123KB, 4 pages)

• Eastern England Fish Producers’ Organisation (1114) (PDF, 122KB, 4 pages)

• Fife Fish Producers’ Organisation (1110) (PDF, 133KB, 5 pages)

• Fish Producers’ Organisation (114) (PDF, 124KB, 4 pages)

• Fleetwood Fish Producers’ Organisation (1116) (PDF, 137KB, 5 pages)

• Interfish Fish Producers’ Organisation (1125) (PDF, 187KB, 4 pages)

• Lowestoft Fish Producers’ Organisation (1117) (PDF, 123KB, 4 pages)

• Northern Ireland Fish Producers’ Organisation (117) (PDF, 63KB, 4 pages)

• Northern Producers' Organisation (1120) (PDF, 126KB, 4 pages)

• North Atlantic Fish Producers' Organisation (1126) (PDF, 122KB, 4 pages)

• North Sea Fishermen's Organisation (1118) (PDF, 189KB, 4 pages)

• Scottish Fishermen's Organisation (119) (PDF, 63.8KB, 4 pages)

• South Western Fish Producers' Organisation (113) (PDF, 126KB, 4 pages)

• Wales and West Coast Fish Producers' Organisation (1119) (PDF, 149KB, 6 pages)

Fishing vessel licences: over 10 metre vessels - Category A (Islands)

There are no producer organisation vessels that are Category A (Islands) vessels. All Category A (Islands) vessels are in the non-sector and have the same conditions, schedule and annex.

• Category A (Islands): conditions (PDF, 211KB, 9 pages)

• Category A (Islands): schedule (PDF, 100KB, 6 pages)

• Category A (Islands): Lyme Bay and Torbay Site of Community Importance conditions (PDF, 64.2KB, 1 page)

• Category A (Islands): annexe (1299) (PDF, 70.1KB, 5 pages)

Fishing vessel licences: over 10 metre vessels - Category A (Pelagic)

All Category A vessels have the same conditions and schedule.

• Category A (Pelagic): conditions (PDF, 228KB, 11 pages)

• Category A (Pelagic): schedule (PDF, 98.9KB, 6 pages)

• Category A (Pelagic): Lyme Bay and Torbay Site of Community Importance conditions (PDF, 64.3KB, 1 page)

There are specific annexes for vessels in each producer organisation. There are no Category A (Pelagic) non-sector vessels.

• Interfish Fish Producers’ Organisation (1725) (PDF, 187KB, 4 pages)

• North Atlantic Fish Producers' Organisation (1726) (PDF, 122KB, 4 pages)

• Cornish Fish Producers' Organisation (172) (PDF, 123KB, 4 pages)

• South Western Fish Producers' Organisation (173) (PDF, 125KB, 4 pages)

Fishing vessel licences: over 10 metre vessels - Category B

All Category B vessels have the same conditions and schedule.

• Category B: condtions (PDF, 209KB, 9 pages)

• Category B: schedule (PDF, 101KB, 6 pages)

• Category B: Lyme Bay and Torbay Site of Community Importance conditions (PDF, 64.2KB, 1 page)

There are specific annexes for vessels in the non-sector, Isle of Man, and each producer organisation.

• Non-sector (3199) (PDF, 77.3KB, 5 pages)

• Non-sector – Isle of Man (3123) (PDF, 186KB, 4 pages)

• Scottish Fishermen's Organisation (319) (PDF, 65.6KB, 4 pages)

Fishing vessel licences: over 10 metre vessels - Category C

All Category C vessels have the same conditions and schedule.

• Category C: conditions (PDF, 196KB, 9 pages)

• Category C: schedule (PDF, 101KB, 6 pages)

• Category C: Lyme Bay and Torbay Site of Community Importance conditions (PDF, 64.2KB, 1 page)

There are specific annexes for vessels in the non-sector, Isle of Man, and each producer organisation.

• Non-sector (4199) (PDF, 67.6KB, 4 pages)

• Non-sector – Isle of Man (4123) (PDF, 184KB, 4 pages)

• Cornish Fish Producers’ Organisation (412) (PDF, 181KB, 4 pages)

• Eastern England Fish Producers’ Organisation (4114) (PDF, 180KB, 4 pages)

Fishing vessel licences: over 10 metre vessels - Deep sea species

All deep sea species vessels have the same conditions and schedule.

• Deep sea species: conditions (PDF, 136KB, 6 pages)

• Deep sea species: schedule (PDF, 9.61KB, 1 page)

There are specific annexes for vessels in the non-sector and each producer organisation.

• Non-sector (8599) (PDF, 196KB, 2 pages)

• Fish Producers’ Organisation (854) (PDF, 255KB, 2 pages)

• Fleetwood Fish Producers’ Organisation (8516) (PDF, 255KB, 2 pages)

• Lowestoft Fish Producers’ Organisation (8517) (PDF, 256KB, 2 pages)

• South Western Fish Producers' Organisation (853) (PDF, 196KB, 2 pages)

• Wales and West Coast Fish Producers' Organisation (8519) (PDF, 255KB, 2 pages)

Fishing vessel licences: over 10 metre vessels - Handline mackerel

There are no producer organisation vessels with handline mackerel conditions and schedules. There is no annex.

• Handline mackerel: conditions (PDF, 67.4KB, 2 pages)

• Handline mackerel: schedule (PDF, 8.28KB, 1 page)

Fishing vessel licences: over 10 metre vessels - Thames and Blackwater

There are no producer organisation vessels with these conditions and schedules. There is no annex.

• Thames and Blackwater: conditions (PDF, 22.3KB, 1 page)

• Thames and Blackwater: schedule (PDF, 16.3KB, 1 page)

Further information

More information on:

• vessel licence types.
• current catch limits: over 10 metre non-sector
• current catch limits: 10 metres and under
• licence variations

Document information

Published: 11 June 2014

Updated: 27 June 2017

+ full page history

1. 27 June 2017 Text added
2. 22 June 2017 Annexes updated in line with variation dated 22 June 2017
3. 1 June 2017 Annexes updated in line with variation effective 2 June 2017
4. 31 May 2017 Annexes updated
5. 25 May 2017 Annexes updated in line with variation of 25 May 2017
6. 18 May 2017 Annexes updated in line with variation 18 May 2017
7. 12 May 2017 Annexes updated in line with variation published 12 May 2017
8. 5 May 2017 Annexes updated
9. 3 May 2017 Annexe 117 updated
10. 2 May 2017 Annexes 319, 199 updated
11. 28 April 2017 changes to annexes in line with variation dated 01 May 2017
12. 21 April 2017 Annexes updated
13. 13 April 2017 Documents updated
14. 6 April 2017 Changes in line with variation dated 6 April 2017
15. 30 March 2017 Annexes updated
16. 17 March 2017 Annexe updated
17. 16 March 2017 23sch updated
18. 7 March 2017 Annexe 4599 and 9199 updated
19. 27 February 2017 4599 updated
20. 27 February 2017 Annexes updated
21. 22 February 2017 Documents updated
22. 10 February 2017 118 updated
23. 3 February 2017 Annexes updated
24. 30 January 2017 Annexes updated
25. 23 January 2017 Documents updated
26. 20 January 2017 Annexes updated
27. 13 January 2017 4599 and 9199 updated
28. 5 January 2017 Annexe 4599 and 9199
29. 29 December 2016 2017 annexes updated
30. 16 December 2016 Documents updated
31. 12 December 2016 Updates in line with variation dated 12 December 2016
32. 9 December 2016 Update to annexe 118 and 1120
33. 6 December 2016 Annex updated in line with variation dated 6 December 2016
34. 2 December 2016 Cornish FPO Pelagic Category A licence added
35. 2 December 2016 Documents updated
36. 30 November 2016 Annexes updated
37. 29 November 2016 Annexes updated
38. 25 November 2016 Documents updates
39. 11 November 2016 Annexe 1110 updated
40. 4 November 2016 Annexes updated
41. 28 October 2016 Page updated
42. 25 October 2016 Annexe 1119 updated
43. 21 October 2016 Annexes updated
44. 14 October 2016 Annexes updated
45. 13 October 2016 Annexes updated
46. 11 October 2016 Documents updated
47. 6 October 2016 Documents updated
48. 30 September 2016 Annexes updated
49. 29 September 2016 Documents updated
50. 23 September 2016 Annexes updated
51. 16 September 2016 Annexes updated
52. 14 September 2016 Annexes updated
53. 9 September 2016 Updated annexes in line with variation dated 09 September 2016
54. 31 August 2016 Annexes updated
55. 30 August 2016 Annexes updated
56. 26 August 2016 Annexes updated
57. 25 August 2016 Annexe 9199 updated
58. 23 August 2016 Annexe 9199 updated
59. 19 August 2016 Annexe 119 updated
60. 17 August 2016 Annexes updated
61. 17 August 2016 11sch updated
62. 9 August 2016 Variations effective from 00:01 hours, Thursday 11 August 2016 added
63. 5 August 2016 PDFs updated
64. 29 July 2016 Annexes updated in line with variation dated 29 July 2016
65. 22 July 2016 Annexes updated
66. 21 July 2016 Annexes updated
67. 15 July 2016 Annexes updated
68. 15 July 2016 Annexe 9199 updated
69. 13 July 2016 Annexes updated
70. 12 July 2016 Annexe 9199, 1199, 1299 updated
71. 7 July 2016 Annexes updated
72. 1 July 2016 Annexes updated
73. 30 June 2016 Annexe 1199 and 1299 updated
74. 30 June 2016 Documents updated
75. 24 June 2016 Annexes updated in line with variation dated 24 June 2016
76. 22 June 2016 Annexes updated in line with variation dated 22 June 2016
77. 13 June 2016 Annex updated in line with variation dated 13 June 2016
78. 7 June 2016 Annexes udpated
79. 6 June 2016 Annexes updated
80. 1 June 2016 Documents updated
81. 27 May 2016 Annexes updated in line with variation dated 27 May 2016
82. 26 May 2016 Annex's updated in line with variation dated 26 May 2016
83. 20 May 2016 Annex updated in line with variation dated 20 May 2016
84. 19 May 2016 Annexes updated in line with variation dated 19 May 2016
85. 13 May 2016 Annex updated in line with variation dated Friday 13 May 2016
86. 11 May 2016 Annexes updated in line with variation dated 11 May 2016
87. 29 April 2016 Annexes updated
88. 26 April 2016 Annexe 1116 updated
89. 25 April 2016 Documents updated
90. 22 April 2016 various updates in line with variation dated 22 April 2016
91. 13 April 2016 Annexes updated
92. 11 April 2016 changes in line with variation dated 11 April 2016
93. 7 April 2016 Annexes updated
94. 31 March 2016 update to Annexes in line with variation dated 31 March 2016
95. 29 March 2016 Annexes updated
96. 24 March 2016 changes to annexe in line with variation dated 24 March 2016
97. 22 March 2016 Annexe 9199 updated
98. 11 March 2016 Conditions updated
99. 9 March 2016 Annexes updated
100. 2 March 2016 Annexes updated
101. 1 March 2016 annexes updated
102. 26 February 2016 Annexes updated
103. 18 February 2016 Annexe 9199 updated
104. 17 February 2016 Annexes updated
105. 12 February 2016 Annexe 3199 updated
106. 12 February 2016 Annexes updated
107. 9 February 2016 Annexes updated
108. 8 February 2016 Various annexes removed
109. 29 January 2016 Annexes updated
110. 29 January 2016 Annexes updated
111. 29 January 2016 Real time closure conditions updated
112. 28 January 2016 Schedules updated
113. 28 January 2016 Annexe 1119 changed
114. 27 January 2016 11, 12, 17, 31, 41 and transitional conditions PDFs changed
115. 27 January 2016 91 and 94 schedules updated
116. 20 January 2016 Annexes updated
117. 15 January 2016 Annexe updated
118. 13 January 2016 Annexes updated
119. 11 January 2016 Documents updated
120. 8 January 2016 Annexe 119 updated
121. 7 January 2016 Annexes updated
122. 5 January 2016 Annexe 1125 and 1725 updated
123. 29 December 2015 Annexe 1123 updated
124. 29 December 2015 All documents updated
125. 21 December 2015 changes to schedules in line with variation dated 21 December 2015
126. 17 December 2015 Annexes updated
127. 11 December 2015 Changes in line with variation dated 11 December 2015
128. 10 December 2015 Documents updated
129. 4 December 2015 Annexes updated
130. 30 November 2015 Schedule 17 updated
131. 26 November 2015 changes to annexes in line with variation dated 26 November 2015
132. 24 November 2015 Schedule 17 updated
133. 20 November 2015 Annexes updated
134. 20 November 2015 Annexe 119 and 319 updated
135. 19 November 2015 Documents updated
136. 18 November 2015 Documents updated
137. 13 November 2015 update to annexe in line with updated variation dated Friday 13 November
138. 13 November 2015 changes to annexes in line with variation dated Friday 13 November 2015
139. 6 November 2015 Documents updated
140. 5 November 2015 change to annexe in line with variation dated Thursday 08 November 2015
141. 29 October 2015 Annexes updated
142. 27 October 2015 Annexes updated
143. 23 October 2015 Annexes updated
144. 23 October 2015 Annex 9199, 9499, 119 and 319 updated
145. 20 October 2015 Schedules updated
146. 16 October 2015 Annexe 913 updated
147. 16 October 2015 South Western Fish Producers' Organisation (313) added
148. 15 October 2015 Documents updated
149. 8 October 2015 Documents updated
150. 6 October 2015 Annexe 1199 updated
151. 2 October 2015 Annexe 119, 1110, and 4110 updated
152. 1 October 2015 Documents updated
153. 30 September 2015 18 documents updated
154. 25 September 2015 Annexe 119 updated
155. 18 September 2015 Changes made to annexes in line with variation dated 18 September 2015
156. 18 September 2015 Changes to Annexe1117 in ine with varaition dated 18 September 2015
157. 16 September 2015 changes to annexes in line with variation dated 16 September 2015
158. 10 September 2015 PDFs updated
159. 8 September 2015 23con PDF updated
160. 7 September 2015 Annexe updated
161. 3 September 2015 Annexe 1110 updated
162. 28 August 2015 Annexes updated
163. 28 August 2015 Annexes updated
164. 28 August 2015 Annexe 119 and 319 updated
165. 27 August 2015 Annexes updated
166. 14 August 2015 Annexes updated
167. 5 August 2015 Documents changed
168. 30 July 2015 PDFs updated
169. 16 July 2015 Annexe 118 updated
170. 15 July 2015 Annexes updated
171. 14 July 2015 Annexe 119 updated
172. 8 July 2015 Documents updated
173. 1 July 2015 Annexes updated
174. 29 June 2015 Annexe updated
175. 29 June 2015 Annexes updated
176. 26 June 2015 Annexes updated to reflect Scottish real time closure
177. 26 June 2015 Annexes SWFPO, FPO, SFPO, NIFPO, Aberdeen FPO, NESFPO, EEFPO, Fleetwood FPO, NSFO. West of Scotland FPO, NAFPO and the Isle of Man updated
178. 25 June 2015 Annexes changed to reflect restrictions in bass fishing
179. 24 June 2015 Over 10 metre vessels - Deep sea species schedule changed
180. 17 June 2015 Documents updated
181. 5 June 2015 Annex 119 added
182. 4 June 2015 Conditions PDFs changed
183. 2 June 2015 Annexe 9199 updated
184. 2 June 2015 Annexe updated
185. 29 May 2015 Annexes and conditions updated
186. 21 May 2015 Annexe 112 updated
187. 14 May 2015 Annexes updated according to variation dated 14 May 2015
188. 8 May 2015 Annexe 119 and 319 updated
189. 6 May 2015 Documents updated
190. 5 May 2015 Documents updated
191. 29 April 2015 Vessel licence changes effective from 00:01 hours, Friday 1 May 2015.
192. 24 April 2015 Annex updated according to variation dated 24 April 2015
193. 23 April 2015 Annexe 1199 updated
194. 22 April 2015 Conditions 11, 12, 17, 31, 41 and transitional 11 condition
195. 14 April 2015 Conditions 11, 12, 17, 31, 41 updated. Transitional 11 condition updated
196. 9 April 2015 Annexe1110 updated
197. 7 April 2015 Annexe 1110 updated
198. 31 March 2015 PDFs updated
199. 30 March 2015 Additional documents relating to variation dated 30 March 2015
200. 30 March 2015 Annexes updated
201. 27 March 2015 Annexe 1125 and 1725 added
202. 26 March 2015 Annexe 9199 updated
203. 17 March 2015 Conditions 11, 12, 17, 31 and 41 and Transitional 11.
204. 11 March 2015 Annexe 9199 and 9499 updated
205. 6 March 2015 Annexe 1125 and 1725 updated
206. 5 March 2015 Annexe 9199 updated
207. 4 March 2015 Annex 9199, 9499, 1199, 1299, 3199, 1110, 1119 updated
208. 2 March 2015 Transitional Condition A (11) updated
209. 27 February 2015 Updates to conditions and schedules for licences 11,12, 17, 31, 41
210. 24 February 2015 Annexe 9199 updated
211. 20 February 2015 Transitional 11con schedule updated
212. 11 February 2015 Annexe 9199 updated
213. 30 January 2015 Annexes updated as per variation dated 30 January 2015
214. 22 January 2015 annex updated due to variation dated 22 January 2014
215. 16 January 2015 Changes to annexes 1125 and 1725 in line with variation 18 January 2015
216. 12 January 2015 Annexe 119 and Annexe 319 updated
217. 9 January 2015 Changes to annexes 111, 171, 911
218. 5 January 2015 Annexe 9499 updated
219. 30 December 2014 updated to reflect licence variation effective 00.01 on Thursday 1 January 2015
220. 19 December 2014 Changes to annex 119
221. 17 December 2014 Changes to annexe 9199
222. 12 December 2014 Changes to annexes in line with variation dated 14 December
223. 5 December 2014 Changes to annexes in line with variation dated 5 December 2014
224. 28 November 2014 updated a number of documents following licence variation (9199, 1199, 1299 and 3199).
225. 14 November 2014 annexes updated to match variation
226. 7 November 2014 Annexes updated to match variation
227. 31 October 2014 Updated to match variation issued 31 October
228. 30 October 2014 Updated to reflect variation
229. 24 October 2014 Annexes changed to match vessel licence variation
230. 17 October 2014 annexes updated to match licence variation
231. 10 October 2014 Annexes updated as per variation effective 12 October
232. 3 October 2014 annexes updated to match licence variation
233. 29 September 2014 schedules updated to reflect variation dated 29 September 2014
234. 25 September 2014 updated according to licence variation
235. 18 September 2014 Updated a number of annexes to reflect licence variation effective 22 September
236. 12 September 2014 Updated annex for licence 112
237. 5 September 2014 updated a number of annexes
238. 29 August 2014 Annexes updated as per variation
239. 22 August 2014 annexes updated
240. 22 August 2014 Annexes updated according to licence variation
241. 15 August 2014 annexes updated according to licence variation dated 15 August 2014
242. 8 August 2014 Licence annexes updated in association with licence variation issued 8 August 2014
243. 4 August 2014 Annexes updated
244. 1 August 2014 Licence annexes uploaded in line with variation
245. 18 July 2014 Schedules updated
246. 11 June 2014 First published.

From: Marine Management Organisation

Part of: Fisheries management and variations Vessel licensing