Implementation of the Common Fisheries Policy: Domestic Fisheries Management

HC 858, Sixth Report of Session 2010-12 - Report, Together with Formal Minutes, Oral and Written Evidence

Author:

House of Commons - Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee

Publisher:

TSO (The Stationery Office)

Price: £12.00

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Under the European Common Fisheries Policy quota, the amount of fish that can legally be landed is capped for particular species where stocks are running dangerously low. However, the report 'Implementation of the Common Fisheries Policy: Domestic Fisheries Management (HC 858)' accounts that under the current system, not all quotas are held by working fisherman. Some holders may be retired or inactive - known as 'slipper skippers' - while others may be organisations or individuals outside the fishing industry. These quotas may then be leased back to ordinary fishermen or traded for profit.

The Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee (Defra) believes it is unacceptable that the government has not been monitoring this trading of EU fish quotas. An unknown number are being bought and sold by people with little or no link to the industry at the expense of working fishermen.

Defra needs to justify the current situation since quotas should only be traded if there is a clear benefit to fishing communities. There needs to be a register of who these non-fishing interests are. As far as possible, these quotas should not be traded but returned for use by the fishing communities.

Defra is concerned that due to a historic miscalculation, smaller vessels; under ten metres (33ft) long, have an unfairly small quota share compared to larger offshore enterprises and recommends a quota reallocation.

The problem of discards also needs to be tackled, where fish are thrown back into the sea - often to die - because they are of an unwanted species or size, or because of quota restraints.

Extent	52 pages	ISBN	9780215559944
Size	A4	Price	£12.00
Format	Paperback	Published	03 Jun 2011
Availability	Colour copy: 3 - 5 days	Delivery	Delivery options and charges