UK fisheries administrations are currently carrying out discussions on establishing a revised agreement related to the way responsibilities for the management of fishing activity within the UK are distributed.
It is intended that once the agreement is finalised, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and the Marine Management Organisation (MMO) will carry out a review, with the industry, of the way fishing vessel licensing operates within the English fleet. Within this review several issues related to licence entitlements will be considered.
In light of this, it has been decided that until that review is complete, with effect from 1 October 2011 any licence entitlements related to vessels that were previously registered in England that were due to expire will be extended until the review is completed. This is currently planned for 30 June 2012.
Other UK fisheries administrations are making similar provisions, and you should contact them direct if you are concerned about its impact on any other entitlements you possess.
If you have any queries with regards to this extension please contact either your local MMO coastal office or the headquarters fishing vessel licensing team in Newcastle.
