Consultation on a proposal to amend the economic link licence condition

We asked for views on amendments to Scottish economic link licence conditions.

We received 154 responses to the consultation from a broad cross-section of stakeholders including fishers, environmental groups, industry representative groups and interested individuals. 

A summary of the changes are:

• landings into Scotland will form the main basis for compliance with the economic link licence condition and options for demonstrating compliance through crewing and/or operating expenditure will no longer be available;

• the required rate to satisfy the landings target will increase from 50% to 55% for demersal and shellfish stocks covered by the provision. Arrangements for pelagic species will be phased in and increased to 55% over a three year period.

• the landings target will cover the eight most important quota species, by landed value, into Scotland. These are – herring, mackerel, Nephrops, haddock, monkfish, cod, hake and whiting.

• the option to gift quota in lieu of landings into Scotland will continue with the formula used to estimate a suitable quota gift amended to better reflect the GVA from fishing;

• the minimum level for qualifying for economic link criteria will increase from landings of two tonnes to landings of 10 tonnes.