Consultation on changes to the UK Fisheries Concordat

Overview

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs in England, Welsh Government (Wales) and The Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (Northern Ireland) are seeking your views on proposed changes to the existing Fisheries Concordat that has been in place between England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales since 2012. The Concordat sets out the licensing of fishing vessels and the allocation of fish quota received through the EU’s Common Fisheries Policy.  It strengthens arrangements about the transfer of fishing vessels between UK Administrations.  Owners will continue to be permitted to move the management of their vessels from one UK Administration to another, but only after the vessel has physically moved its operations to the country that the owners wish to administer their vessel.

The new Concordat also offers to each of the UK Administrations enhanced flexibility to maintain the quota allocations available to the vessels fishing from their ports.  In future, each Administration will have the option to retain their existing share of UK quotas, except when vessels move fishing operations to another UK country and are given permission to change country of administration.  In these circumstances, it will be permitted to move quota allocations between UK countries. Industry and stakeholder views are being sought on the proposed changes.

Documents can be found at the bottom of this page

Why your views matter

The English, Northern Irish and Welsh Government encourage all consultees to respond to the consultation to ensure that there are no unintended consequences arising as a result of the proposed changes.   We will reflect on the consultation responses before proceeding with the adoption of a new Concordat. In the interim the 2012 Concordat will remain in effect.