Fishing quota allocation: Developing a new approach for allocating additional fishing quota in England

Overview

Following Brexit, we will negotiate with the EU and coastal states for a fairer share of fishing opportunities.

In the fisheries white paper, Sustainable Fisheries for Future Generations we set out plans to promote a more competitive, profitable and sustainable fishing industry across the whole of the UK and to set a gold standard for sustainable fishing around the world.

We said we intended to begin a conversation about how to allocate the additional quota we negotiate. We indicated that we would work with stakeholders to develop a new and different approach to allocating this.

We also set out various issues we would consider in developing the approach to allocation in England. These include:

• establishing a reserve of quota to be managed and allocated in accordance with new criteria to meet the future needs of the industry. This could include allocation of some fishing opportunities specifically for recreational angling
• allocating part of any new quota in the reserve to underpin a new approach to tackle the problem of choke species, so that the crucial discard ban works in practice as well as in theory
• allocating some fishing opportunity through a tendering or auctioning system
• developing new criteria to define low impact inshore fishing vessels to replace the current ‘under 10 metre’ category
• Potentially trialing an effort (days at sea) based regime in place of a quota regime for some inshore fisheries
• Integrating recreational angling within the new fisheries framework recognising the societal benefits of this activity and impacts on some stocks
• Ensuring our coastal communities derive maximum benefit from quota

This call for evidence is to inform the development of this new approach. It is part of the process to enable us to gather and evaluate appropriate evidence.

If you would like to keep in contact with us to express interest in this, or any other Defra consultation, please give us your details through the link below

https://gov.smartwebportal.co.uk/defra/public/webform.asp?id=108&id2=1D06F7

Why your views matter

This is an opportunity for you to provide evidence that will help us to consider how to allocate any additional fishing quota in England we may secure during negotiations following Brexit.

Evidence submitted might include new or existing reports or documents as well as data in various forms. However, it can also include narratives of your personal experiences of fishing inside and outside of quota management systems and how these have influenced your approach to fishing. Your opinions and viewpoints are also welcome but it is evidence synthesis and knowledge gathering that is at the core of this call.

This is a public document that has been placed on the Defra consultation website. It invites you to contribute to a series of questions structured around the considerations we set out in the White Paper. It also provides an opportunity for you to add any further points that may not easily fit under the other questions.

What happens next