Statutory guidance

Variation issued: Sunday 12 May 2024

Updated 23 December 2024

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This publication is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/fishing-vessel-licence-variations/variation-issued-sunday-12-may-2024

1. The variation effective from 00:01hrs Sunday 12 May 2024 is as follows:

1.1 Controls with respect to fishing in specified parts of the sea

  • Affecting Over 10m licence schedules A (11), A (Islands) (12), A (Pelagic) (17), B (31), and C (41)

29 - From 00:00 hrs on 12 May 2024, the vessel to which this licence relates[footnote 1] may not deploy creels, pots or traps within any part of Scottish inshore waters (0-6 nautical miles)[footnote 2], with the exception of the inshore waters surrounding St Kilda (Hirta and Boreray), Flannan Isles, Rockall, Sula Sgeir, North Rona, Sule Stack, and Sule Skerry.

1.2 Return of catches to the sea in Scottish waters

  • Affecting Over 10m licence schedules A (11), A (Islands) (12), B (31), and C (41) and 10m & Under schedules A (91), A (Limited) (94), and A (91) (PO)

In Over 10m schedules:

30 - From 00:00 hrs on 12 May 2024, the vessel to which this licence relates[footnote 3] may not , retain onboard, land, offer for sale, or consign lobster (Homarus Gammarus) or brown crab (Cancer pagurus) carrying any spawn attached to the tail or other exterior part; or in a condition as to show that, at the time of capture, it was carrying eggs so attached.

In 10m & Under schedules:

22 - From 00:00 hrs on 12 May 2024, the vessel to which this licence relates[footnote 3] may not , retain onboard, land, offer for sale, or consign lobster (Homarus Gammarus) or brown crab (Cancer pagurus) carrying any spawn attached to the tail or other exterior part; or in a condition as to show that, at the time of capture, it was carrying eggs so attached.

It is your responsibility to check variations before going to sea as they can be changed at any time.          

If you have any queries, please contact the Fisheries Management Team.

  1. Licenced fishing vessels of greater than 12 metres overall length, which have notified catches of over 200 tonnes of brown crab and/or lobster to the competent authority during any 12 month period(s) from 2020 onwards. ↩

  2. As defined in the Inshore Fishing (Scotland) Act 1984). ↩

  3. All licenced fishing vessels of all categories. ↩ ↩2

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