Questions and answers

Parliamentary questions can be asked by any MSP to the Scottish Government or the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body. The questions provide a means for MSPs to get factual and statistical information.

Written questions must be answered within 10 working days (20 working days during recess)

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Question reference: S6W-29367

Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 28 August 2024
Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 9 September 2024

To ask the Scottish Government how many (a) UK and (b) EU vessels were registered to fish in Scottish waters in each year since 2021.

UK commercial fishing licences provide general authority for the registered vessel to fish in the UK EEZ, subject to specific conditions detailed in the licence. The UK Fisheries Act 2020 sets out the ‘equal access objective’, stating that, "access of UK fishing boats to any area within British fishery limits is not affected by- (a) the location of the fishing boat’s home port, or (b) any other connection of the fishing boat, or any of its owners, to any place in the United Kingdom."

UK fishing licences may also be retained as an "entitlement" which means that that there is no active fishing vessel linked to the licence entitlement at that time. That entitlement may be re-activated in the future by being transferred or sold and then attached to an active UK vessel.

The information provided in the following table is the number of "active" UK licences - i.e. where a fishing vessel is linked to the licence - as of 1 January in each year. As noted above, whilst UK fishing licences permit activity in all UK waters, the number of active UK licences is not necessarily representative of UK vessels' fishing activity in Scottish waters.

Year	UK vessels licensed at 1 January
2024	4896
2023	5031
2022	5283
2021	5307

The following number of EU vessels were issued with fishing licences to access and fish in UK waters since 2021. These licences permit access to all UK waters not just Scottish waters. All eligible EU vessels must hold a historic track record of operating in the UK EEZ prior to UK withdrawal from the EU. The following numbers therefore cannot be said to represent EU vessels' fishing activity in the Scottish zone.

Year	UK access licences issued to EU vessels
2024	1549
2023	1542
2022	1585
2021	1677

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Question reference: S6W-29367

Answer