HANSARDCommons03 Nov 20211 contribution

Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Fishing Licence Numbers: UK and the Crown Dependencies

The Minister of State, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Victoria Prentis)
ConservativeLife peer
This statement sets out, for clarity, the numbers of fishing licences issued by the UK and the Crown dependencies since the trade and co-operation agreement (TCA) was signed. The information is correct as of 9 am on 3 November 2021.
The position does change as applications can be made or withdrawn at any time. Requests to withdraw licences by the European Commission can also be made at any time and therefore the number of active licences will be slightly different.
UK waters
Under the Fisheries Act 2020, all foreign vessels fishing in UK waters are required to have a licence. Article 2(1) of annex 38 to the TCA sets out the level of access which applies during the adjustment period, until 30 June 2026. This includes both the exclusive economic zone (EEZ) and particular zones in the territorial sea (6 to 12 nautical miles from the shore in ICES divisions 4c and 7d-g). Access to the territorial sea is limited to “qualifying” vessels: those that fished in those zones in at least four of the years between 2012 and 2016, or their direct replacements. The TCA also places some limitations on access in terms of which stocks can be targeted, where and by which member states.
In the UK 6 to 12 nautical mile zone, our approach has been to license vessels once sufficient evidence has been provided that they have fished in UK waters on at least one day in four of the years between 2012 and 2016.
The number of licences that have been issued to EU vessels to fish in UK waters is as follows.
Overall total:
UK
Applications received
Licences issued
Licences pending further information from the Commission/Member State
183^[1]
1793
38
^{[1] Licensed vessel was withdrawn at the EU’s request.}
UK 12-200nm zone
The majority of these licences were granted on 31 December 2020 with 1,285 EU vessels licensed.
Applications received
1,673
Vessels licensed
1,673
By member state
Member State
Applications received
Licences issued
Applications pending
Belgium
65
65
0
Denmark
121
121
0
France
736
736
0
Germany
49
49
0
Republic of Ireland
358
358
0
Lithuania
2
2
0
Netherlands
192
192
0
Poland
2
2
0
Portugal
49
49
0
Spain
90
90
0
Sweden
9
9
0

Fishing Licence Numbers: UK and the Crown Dependencies

The Minister of State, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Victoria Prentis)

This statement sets out, for clarity, the numbers of fishing licences issued by the UK and the Crown dependencies since the trade and co-operation agreement (TCA) was signed. The information is correct as of 9 am on 3 November 2021.

The position does change as applications can be made or withdrawn at any time. Requests to withdraw licences by the European Commission can also be made at any time and therefore the number of active licences will be slightly different.

UK waters

Under the Fisheries Act 2020, all foreign vessels fishing in UK waters are required to have a licence. Article 2(1) of annex 38 to the TCA sets out the level of access which applies during the adjustment period, until 30 June 2026. This includes both the exclusive economic zone (EEZ) and particular zones in the territorial sea (6 to 12 nautical miles from the shore in ICES divisions 4c and 7d-g). Access to the territorial sea is limited to “qualifying” vessels: those that fished in those zones in at least four of the years between 2012 and 2016, or their direct replacements. The TCA also places some limitations on access in terms of which stocks can be targeted, where and by which member states.

In the UK 6 to 12 nautical mile zone, our approach has been to license vessels once sufficient evidence has been provided that they have fished in UK waters on at least one day in four of the years between 2012 and 2016.

The number of licences that have been issued to EU vessels to fish in UK waters is as follows.

Overall total:

Applications received

Licences issued

Licences pending further information from the Commission/Member State

183^[1]

1793

^{[1] Licensed vessel was withdrawn at the EU’s request.}

UK 12-200nm zone

The majority of these licences were granted on 31 December 2020 with 1,285 EU vessels licensed.

Applications received

1,673

Vessels licensed

1,673

By member state

Member State

Applications received

Licences issued

Applications pending

Belgium

Denmark

121

France

736

Germany

Republic of Ireland

358

Lithuania

Netherlands

192

Poland

Portugal

Spain

Sweden