{"id":94541,"date":"2018-08-03T09:31:25","date_gmt":"2018-08-03T09:31:25","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/mostafa.openonline.co.uk\/?guid=9992eb37078fd4dfe4638ef9356b86ae"},"modified":"2018-08-03T09:31:25","modified_gmt":"2018-08-03T09:31:25","slug":"news-story-forthcoming-changes-to-fisheries-rules-highlighted","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mostafa.openonline.co.uk\/?p=94541","title":{"rendered":"News story: Forthcoming changes to fisheries rules highlighted"},"content":{"rendered":"
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The Marine Management Organisation (MMO<\/abbr>) is providing advance notice of changes to fisheries laws it expects will affect the English\/UK<\/abbr> fishing industry throughout 2019.<\/p>\n

The MMO<\/abbr>, whose remit includes enforcing EU<\/abbr> and UK<\/abbr> fisheries regulations in English waters, is providing insight into its work in order to give industry as much certainty as possible and to help them prepare for changes. In response to discussions in the media and online, this guidance is being published to clarify that current fisheries laws will continue to apply immediately after the UK<\/abbr> leaves the EU<\/abbr>.<\/p>\n

What is happening<\/h2>\n

The full Landing Obligation (discard ban) will come into force on 1 January 2019. This means that for all fisheries, species with catch limits (quota species) will have to be landed and counted against quota. This includes undersize fish.<\/p>\n

There are exemptions to this requirement subject to certain conditions. These are based on either the ability of the fish to survive capture and release (\u201csurvivability\u201d); or on the difficulty of preventing capture of unwanted fish; or disproportionate cost of handling, (de minimis). For example, it is proposed that from 1 January 2019 plaice will be able to be discarded in certain fisheries due to its ability to survive capture and release.<\/p>\n

In the new regulations there are also requirements for vessels to use more selective fishing gear. These will apply to parts of the Celtic Sea (from 1 July 2019) and area VIIa in the Irish Sea (from 1 January 2019).<\/p>\n

Defra is working with the MMO<\/abbr> and the fishing industry to identify ways to limit the risk of \u2018choke\u2019 species closing fisheries in 2019. A choke species is one for which there is not enough quota; when this runs out it may restrict opportunities to carry on fishing for other key species for which more quota is available.<\/p>\n

The UK<\/abbr> is also working with the European Commission and other Member States to develop other ways of limiting choke for the most high risk fisheries. These are likely to be agreed at December Council when the annual Total Allowable Catch and Quota Regulation is finalised.<\/p>\n

The regulations are currently in draft form and may be subject to change. The MMO<\/abbr> will issue more detailed guidance once the regulations for 2019 are finalised. However, if you want to view the draft recommendations as they stand currently, they are available here: North Sea<\/a>, North Western Waters<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The technical conservation regulation is the legislation that aims to reduce the capture of juvenile fish and minimise environmental harm. A new regulation is currently in draft and it is likely to come into force in the first half of 2019.<\/p>\n

The new draft technical conservation regulation is more streamlined that the original regulation. It aims to simplify the rules.<\/p>\n

What the Marine Management Organisation is doing<\/h2>\n

As explained in its compliance and enforcement strategy<\/a> the MMO<\/abbr> will provide guidance and raise awareness of the rules as a first step to achieving compliance.<\/p>\n

Work being carried out by the MMO<\/abbr> so that it can support industry to understand and comply with the changes includes:<\/p>\n