THE MMO has updated its guidance on quota leasing and on activities to source quota for the under 10 metre and non-sector fleet.
Those fishing against the 10 metres and under or non-sector pool quota can apply to lease extra quota from a producer organisation (PO) to supplement their catch limits or to keep fishing for a stock where the allocation has been reached.
Following feedback from the industry, the MMO has added additional guidance to its website on the process they should follow when leasing extra quota. This includes encouraging people to contact the MMO to discuss their needs before taking out a lease. Such information may facilitate the MMO arranging quota swaps and gifts of quota from other EU Member States or Producer Organisations on behalf of wider groups within the pool. We can also provide an update on any ongoing negotiations.
For example, in 2014, the MMO has sourced additional haddock quota, bringing 49 tonnes into the English under 10 metre and non-sector pool which more than doubled the 30 tonne allocation originally available. This has enabled the MMO to keep the fishery open for the whole year and to increase the allocation in December.
The MMO also sourced additional English Channel cod quota, in particular for area VIId. Following a consultation activity in November an additional 10 tonnes of English Channel cod quota (area VIId) was secured for the under 10 metre pool, with this being reallocated from an English Producer Organisation. The MMO used this to keep the fishery open with a catch limit of 400kg for the rest of 2014.
The MMO aims to help the fishing industry maximise use of quotas available to them while ensuring that the limits set at EU level are not exceeded. It had reduced the cod catch limit for the under 10 metre fleet earlier in November due to the pool nearing their quota limit for 2014. The MMO would like to thank those who responded to the consultation, in particular Producer Organisations for their co-operation and trading with the Under 10 metre pool.
This development has also contributed to the UK using a higher percentage of its cod quota for area VIId in 2014 than it did in 2013, with 90% so far this year against 56% in total in 2013.