Views on use of remaining English Channel cod quota sought
The fishing industry is encouraged to have its say on how remaining 2014 quota for cod in area VIId should be used within England.
The Marine Management Organisation (MMO) is seeking industry’s views on helping the English fishing fleet to maximise its uptake of quota for cod in the eastern English Channel (VIId).
It has published the in which it sets out a number of questions and options including the in-year reallocation of quota within the English fishing fleet. The document also explains work to seek extra quota for the UK from other EU member states.
Cod in area VIId tends to be a winter fishery with highest landings from January to March and October to December each year. Due to the English under 10 metre pool nearing their quota limit for 2014 the fishery is currently at risk of closure to under 10 metre vessels, with the MMO accordingly reducing their catch limit for November to 250kg.
The MMO believes the English under ten metre pool are the group most likely to catch the remaining quota, having caught 59 percent of the total landed by the English fleet so far. One of the proposals included in the consultation is to reallocate some cod quota to the English under 10 metre pool from Producer Organisations, who may not catch their allocation in full.
Anyone with an opinion on the suggestions is invited to provide these to MMO Fisheries Management Team by the end of Friday 14 November 2014.
Views can be provided by e-mail: martyn.youell@marinemanagement.org.uk, telephone: 0300 123 1032, or in writing to:
Fisheries Management, MMO, Lancaster House, Hampshire Court, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE4 7YH
The MMO is in the process of launching a consultation panel in early 2015 which will invite fishermen, policy makers to join them in finding solutions to maximising quota allocations.