This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007
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Capacity penalties postponed
29/10/2001
UK Fisheries Departments today announced the
postponement of changes to the capacity regime, which were
due to take place on 1 April 2003.
At a recent meeting of the Joint Industry/Departmental
Working Group on Fishing Vessel Licensing, industry members
asked for further time to consider the changes proposed by
UK Fisheries Departments. A further meeting will take place
early in the New Year.
The original proposals - announced earlier this year -
include the possible introduction of a single capacity
penalty for all licence transactions and applying penalties
to tonnage and engine power. Ministers had given a
commitment to announce fuller details of the proposed new
arrangements to the industry later this year.
UK Fisheries Departments believe it would no longer be
appropriate to adhere to the originally announced
implementation date of April 2003. It remains the intention
not to allow any provision for pipeline cases under the new
arrangements but, Departments recognise that sufficient
notice of any changes must be given in order to allow the
industry time to make the necessary adjustments.
In recognition of this Fisheries Ministers have agreed
that a future announcement about the detail of the proposed
changes will include 18 months' notice of their
introduction.
BACKGROUND
1. Proposals for the new capacity penalty arrangements
were contained in SE News Release 695/2001.
2. The Working Group comprises representatives of the
National Federation of Fishermen's Organisation, Scottish
Fishermen's Federation, Northern Ireland Fishermen's
Federation, Sea Fish Industry Authority and the Fisheries
Departments in the UK (DEFRA, SEERAD, NAWAD and DARD).
3. Details of the capacity penalties applying to licence
transfers and aggregations in the UK are set out in the
following News Releases: (SO) of 27 July 1993; (SO) 1656/94
of 15 December 1994; (SO) 243/96 of 16 February 1996; (SO)
1074/96 of 3 July 1996; (MAFF) 404/97 of 17 December 1997;
(MAFF) 129/98 of 31 March 1998; (SO) 2534/98 of 1 December
1998; (SO) 2553/98 of 3 December 1998; (SO) 862/99 of
31 March 1999; (SE) 1264/1999 of 11 November 1999 and (SE)
1913/2000 of 29 June 2000.