§ Mr. KirkwoodTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will estimate how many vessels previously registered in other EU member states are now registered as United Kingdom fishing vessels; and what estimate he has made of the annual tonnage of fish caught by vessels so registered for each of the last three years for which figures are available. [30369]
§ Mr. BaldryInformation on the number of current UK fishing vessels previously registered in other member states and the tonnage of fish which they have caught over the last three years is not available.
Under the UK merchant shipping regulations it is possible for vessels previously registered in other member states or third countries to be registered as fishing vessels in the UK. But such vessels would not be permitted to fish for profit without acquiring a licence from UK Fisheries Departments. Under our present restrictive licensing arrangements no new licences are granted and an owner wishing to fish with a vessel new to the UK fleet would need to obtain a licence from a previously licensed vessel.