Understand your fishing vessel licence
How to understand each part of your fishing vessel licence – vessel details, conditions, schedule, annex and their current copies.
All licences refer to fishing opportunities within the UK EEZ
UK Fisheries Monitoring Centre - Temporary Change of Industry Number (0131 244 2286)
Due to the situation surrounding the Coronavirus, Marine Scotland has taken steps to ensure the continuity of service provided by the UKFMC. This has required them to temporarily change the telephone number that industry require to call (0131 271 9700), as published in UK vessel licences. Unfortunately, they are unable to divert this number to external lines, which is necessary to afford UKFMC officers the potential to undertake their duties from home, where required. Please note however, at this time, the UKFMC primarily continues to operate out of Victoria Quay, Edinburgh.
In order to facilitate the above, the pre-recorded message delivered to those calling 0131 271 9700 has been changed and advises callers that they are now required to call the following Scottish Government extension 0131 244 2286.
Understanding your vessel licence
Your fishing vessel licence is in several parts. You must read each part carefully to make sure you understand the terms attached to it and that they are correct for your fishing activity.
Contact your local Marine Management Organisation (MMO) office with any questions and notify them immediately if any of the details are incorrect.
An incorrect licence is invalid and you could be liable to penalties.
It is your responsibility to check your licence documents before going to sea as licences can be changed at any time. MMO publishes variations online and notifies those who have provided their contact information.
You can provide MMO with up to 2 emails, mobile phone numbers, or both, as a way of getting direct alerts about changes. You can receive notifications yourself, but it may make sense to nominate someone based onshore who can contact you on your vessel quickly.
Variations are considered to have been received when they are published online. You are required, as part of your licence conditions, to check each week for any changes.
Part 1: Vessel details
This part includes:
- category of licence
- official licence number
- characteristics of your vessel
- registered owners
- specific authorities for scallop dredging, beam trawl fishing, fish for shellfish with pots, fixed nets or both
- membership of a fish producer organisation
Part 2: Conditions
This specifies how your vessel will fish. You may be directed to make landings at certain ports and times.
Part 3: Schedule
This sets out the authority under which you are allowed to fish.
Part 4: Annex
This lists species that you are not permitted to fish and any catch limits for stocks that you are able to fish and land.
Fishing vessel licences: 10 metre and under vessels - non-sector
These are vessels 10-metres-and-under that don’t belong to a producer organisation.
Uncapped licences for the non-sector and Isle of Man have the same conditions and schedules, and their own specific annexes.
Capped licences for the non-sector have the same conditions, schedule and annex.
Fishing vessel licences: 10 metre and under vessels - sector
All vessels that are members of a producer organisation have the same conditions and schedule.
They each have their own specific annexes.
Fishing vessel licences: over 10 metre vessels - Category A
All Category A vessels have the same conditions and schedule.
There are specific annexes for vessels in the non-sector, Isle of Man, and each producer organisation.
Fishing vessel licences: over 10 metre vessels - Category A (Islands)
There are no producer organisation vessels that are Category A (Islands) vessels. All Category A (Islands) vessels are in the non-sector and have the same conditions, schedule and annex.
Fishing vessel licences: over 10 metre vessels - Category A (Pelagic)
All Category A vessels have the same conditions and schedule.
There are specific annexes for vessels in each producer organisation. There are no Category A (Pelagic) non-sector vessels.
Fishing vessel licences: over 10 metre vessels - Category B
All Category B vessels have the same conditions and schedule.
There are specific annexes for vessels in the non-sector, Isle of Man, and each producer organisation.
Fishing vessel licences: over 10 metre vessels - Category C
All Category C vessels have the same conditions and schedule.
There are specific annexes for vessels in the non-sector, Isle of Man, and each producer organisation.
Fishing vessel licences: over 10 metre vessels - Deep sea species
All deep sea species vessels have the same conditions and schedule.
There are specific annexes for vessels in the non-sector and each producer organisation.
Fishing vessel licences: over 10 metre vessels - Handline mackerel
There are no producer organisation vessels with handline mackerel conditions and schedules. There is no annex.
Fishing vessel licences: over 10 metre vessels - Thames and Blackwater
There are no producer organisation vessels with these conditions and schedules. There is no annex.
Single licence category for the over ten metre fleet segment in Scotland.
Marine Scotland have created a single licence category for the over ten metre fleet segment in Scotland.
Different licence categories will remain in existence in England after 30 June 2017. Category B or C licence entitlements transferring from Scotland will be received as a Category B or C as they were prior to 1 July 2017.
Scottish licences created through disaggregation or aggregation in Scotland after 30 June 2017 will be tracked back to the lowest common denominator and received accordingly on transfer to England. For example a licence aggregation between an ex-Category B and an ex-Category A licence in Scotland will be received in England as a Category B licence.
Application to change UK fisheries administration
This *
form must be completed by the vessel owner(s) who wish to request the change of administration from England to Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland.Latent capacity licence monitoring
In 2015 Defra carried out an exercise to address latent capacity in the under 10m English fishing fleet.
This process a resulted in a number of fishermen having their finfish licence capped at 350kgs and/or having their shellfish permit temporarily suspended. This exercise included an appeals process and a number of appeals were successful but subject to a monitoring period for 2 years. During this period those individuals were required to demonstrate evidence that fishing activity was above the capping/suspension limits.
The monitoring period has since ended for all those licences and permits and MMO has notified all relevant individuals on the outcome of the exercise.
Further information
More information on:
Last updated
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Changes for 16 July 2022
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Variation 10 July 2022
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Licence update
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Annexe update 18 June
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Licence annexes updated in line with variation dated 1 June 2022
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Annexes updated in line with variation dated 21 May 2022
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Updates to annexes
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Changes to annexes in line with variation dated 28 April 22
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Annexes updated in line with variation dated 24 April 2022
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Annexes updated in line with variation dated Sunday 10th April 2022
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Licenses amended in line with variation dated 01 April 2022
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annexes updated in line with variation dated 24 March
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Changes to annexes in line with variation dated 20 March 22
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Annex updated in line with variation dated 9 March 2022
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01 March update
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Licences updated in line with variation dated 6 February 2022
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Annexes in line with variation 4 February 2022
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Annexes updated in line with variation dated 28 January 2022
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Annexes updated in line with variation dated 15 January 2022
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Annexes updated in line with variation dated 1 January 2022
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change to annex in line with variation dated 17 December 2021
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changes in annexes in line with variation dated 11 December 2021
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Changes to annexes in line with variation dated 1 December 2021
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Changes to annexes in line with variation dated Thursday 25th November 2021
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Changes to annexes in line with variation dated 21 November 21
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Changes to annexes in line with variation dated 15 November 2021
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Changes to annexes in line with variation dated 12 November and 14 November 2021
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Variations for 1st November 2021
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Annexes updated in line with variation dated 24 October 2021
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Changes to annexes in line with variation dated 15 and 16th October 2021
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annexes updated in line with variation dated Sunday 10 October 21
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Annexes updated in line with variation dated 1 October 2021
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Changes to annexes in line with variation dated 1 October and 4 October 2021
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Changes to annexes in line with variation dates 18 September 2021
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Changes to annexes in line with variation dated 5 September 2021
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Annexe changes
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15th August update
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Annexes updated in line with variation dated 7 August 2021
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Annexes updated in line with variations dated 30 July 2021 and 2 August 2021
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Updated
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Removing boulder/greenpeace wording
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Changes to annexes in line with variation dated 16 July 2021
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Annexes updated in line with variation dated 10 July 2021
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Changes to annexes in line with variation dated 30/06
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Changes to annexes in line with variation dated June 26
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Changes to annexes in line with variation dated Saturday 19 June 2021
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Changes to schedules in line with variation dated 13 June 2021
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Changes to annexes in line with variation dated 6 June 2021
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Changes to annexes in line with variation dated 14 May 2021
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Updated annexes in line with variation dated 12 May 2021
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Changes to annexes in line with variation dated Saturday 1 May 2021
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updated following licence variation dated 25 April 2021
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Updated annexes in line with variation dated 23 April 2021
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Changes to annexes in line with variation dated 18th April 2021
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Changes to annexes in line with variation dated 11 April 2021
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Update 01/04
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Variation upate 01/04
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Changes to annexes in line with variation dated March 31 2021
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Changes to annexes in line with variation dated 28 March 2021
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Changes to Annexes in line with licence variation dated 20 March 2021
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Switched docs
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Changes to annexes in line with variation dated 19 March 2021
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Updates 05/03
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Changes to annexes in line with variation dated 26 February 2021
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Sea
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Added to Deep Sea
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Removed and added
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21/02 amends
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Changes to annexes in line with variation dated 18/02
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Changes to annexes in line with variation dated 15 February 2021
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Changes to annexes in line with variation effective 29 January 2021
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Changes to annexes in line with variation dated 22 January 2021
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Cat A updates
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Changes to annexes in line with variation dated 17 January 2021
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Changes to annexes in line with variation dated 14 January 2021
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Changes to annexes in line with variation dated 10 January 2021
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Changes to annexes in line with variation dated 31 December 2020
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change to annex in line with variations effective from 23:01 hrs (GMT) 31 December 2020
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24/12 update
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Change to Annexes
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Changes to annexes in line with variation dated 2 December 2020
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changes to annexes in line with variation dated 26 November
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Changes to annexes in line with variation dated Sunday 22 November 2020
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15 changed 18th
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Removed Consultation. Variation changed 15 November.
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Changes to annexes in line with variation dated 12 November 2020
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Changes to annexes in line with variation dated 6 November 2020
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New measures added. 1st Nov update
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Changes to annexes in line with variation dated 25 October 2020
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Thames and Blackwater herring schedule updated
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Changes to annexes in line with variation dated 16 October
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Updated following variation dated 10 October 2020
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updates regarding boulder locations
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Changes to annexes in line with variation dated 1 October 2020
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Variations updated 27th September
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Changes to annexes in line with variation dated 12 September
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Changes to annexes in line with variations dated 6 and 7 September 2020
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Changes to annexes in line with variation dated 29 August
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Changes to annexes in line with variation dated 28 August 2020
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Changes to annexes in line with variation dated 14 August 2020
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Changes for 8 & 9 August 2020
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Changes to annexes in line with variation dated 1 August 2020
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Updated in line with variation dated 26th July
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Changes to annexes in line with variation dated 24 July 2020
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Updated attachments as per email instruction
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Changes to annexes in line with variation dated 19th July
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Changes to annexes in line with variation dated 12 July 2020
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Changes to annexes in line with variation dated Wednesday 1st July
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Changes to annexes in line with variation dated Wednesday 10 June 2020
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Changes to annexes in line with variation dated 7 June 2020
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Changes to annexes in line with variation dated Monday 1 June 2020
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Changes to annexes in line with variation dated Thursday 28 April 2020
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Changes to annexes in line with variation dated 21 May 2020
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Updated licence conditions 12, 11, 17, 31, 41 and 24
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Changes to annexes in line with variation dated 1 May 2020
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Annex 9199 updated in line with variation effective date Friday 10 April 2020
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changes to annexes in line with variation dated 27 March 2020
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New number for UKFMC included
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changes to annexes in line with variation dated 22 March
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Changes to annexes in line with variation dated 13 March
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Annexes updated in line with variation dated 1 March 2020
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Annexes updated in line with variation dated 24 February 2020
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changes to annexes in line with variation dated Friday 21st February 2020
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changes to annexes in line with variation dated 14 February 2020
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Changes to annexes in line with variation dated 9 Feb
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Changes to annexes in line with variation dated 1 February
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Change to annex in line with variation dated 24 January 2020
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Changes to annexes in line with variation dated 10 January 2020
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changes to annexes in line with variation dated 1 Jan 2020
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Changes to annexes in line with variation dated 13 December 2019
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changes to annexes in line with variation dated 8 December 2019
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Changes to annexes in line with variations dated 5 December 2019
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changes to annexes in line with variation dated 22 November 2019
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Changes to annexes in line with variation dated 15 November 2019
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Changes to annexes in line with variation dated 8 November 2019
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Changes in line with variations dated 1 November 2019
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changes to annexes in line with variation dated 27 October
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changes to annexes inline with variation dated 20 October 2019
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Annexes updated in line with variation of 11 October 2019
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Changes to annexes in line with variation dated 1 October 2019
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changes to annexes in line with variation dated 22 September 2019
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Changes to annexes in line with variation dated 15 September 2019
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changes to annexes in line with variation dated 1 September 2019
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changes to annexes in line with variation dated 24 August 2019
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Changes to annexes in line with variation dated 18 August 2019
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Annexes updated
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Changes to annexes in line with variation dated 4 August
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changes to annexes in line with variation dated 1 August
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changes to annexes in line with variation dated 28 July 2019
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Annexes updated to reflect variation effective Saturday 27 July 2019
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Update on monitored licences
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Changes to annexes in line with variation dated 21 July 2019
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412 Licence updated
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Changes to annexes in line with variation dated 14 July 2019
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Annex changed
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Changes to annexes in line with variation dated 1 July 2019
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changes to annexes in line with variation dated 23 June 2019
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Changes to annexes in line with variation dated 1 June 2019
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Changes to Annexes in line with Variation dated 24 May 2019
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Annexes updated in line with variation issued 16 May 2019
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Annexes updated to reflect variation published 9 May 2019
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Annexes updated to reflect variation issued Friday 03 May 2019
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Annexes updated in line with variation dated 29 April 2019
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changes to annexes in line with variation dated 14 April 2019
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Annexes updated to reflect variation dated 8 April 2019
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Licences updated to reflect variation published on 28 March 2019
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Changes to annexes in line with variation dated 23 March 2019.
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Attachments updated
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Documents updated
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Annexes updated
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PDF's updated
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PDFs updated
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Annexes updated
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Annexes updated in line with variation published 03 January 2019
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Documents updated
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2019 annexes updated
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Schedules updated to reflect variation published 29 November 2018
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Annexes updated
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Annexes updated
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Annexes updated
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9199 and 4599 updated
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Annexes updated
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Annexes updated
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Annexes updated
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Annexes updated
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Annexes updated in line with variation published 20 September 2018
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Documents updated
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Annexes updated
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Documents updated
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Annexes updated
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Annexes updated in line with variation dated 25 August 2018
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Annexes updated in line with variation dated 16 August 2018
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Annexes updated
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Annexes updated
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Annexes updated in line with variation dated 01 July 2018
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Application to change UK fisheries administration form added
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Annexes updated
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Annexes updated
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Annexes updated
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PDF updated
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Annexe 1199 and 1299 updated
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Annexes updated
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Documents updated
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Annexes updated in line with variation published 20 April 2018
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Annexes added for variation effective 18 April 2018
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Documents updated
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Annexes updated
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Annexe 4599 and 9199 updated
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Documents updated
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Annexes updated
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licence variation for under 10 metre vessels
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Bass variation added
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Documents updated
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Documents updated
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Variations effective from 00:01 hours, Sunday 14 January 2018 added
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Latent capacity licence update
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2018 annexes added
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Annexe 119 updated
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Annexes updated in line with variation dated 18 December 2017
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Annexes updated
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Annexes updated
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Annexes updated
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Documents updated
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Annexes updated in line with variation effective 19 November 2017
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Documents updated
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Documents updated
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Documents updated
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Annexes updated
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Variations effective from 00:01 hours, Monday 23 October 2017 added
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Documents updated
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1199 and 1299 updated
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Annex 119 updated
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Documents updated
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Annexes updated
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31sch updated
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Documents updated
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Annexes updated
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Documents updated
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Annexes updated
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Annexes updated
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Schedules updated
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Annexes updated
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Documents updated
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Annexe 1116 and 1117 updated
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Annexes updated
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Annexes updated
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Text added
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Annexes updated in line with variation dated 22 June 2017
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Annexes updated in line with variation effective 2 June 2017
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Annexes updated
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Annexes updated in line with variation of 25 May 2017
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Annexes updated in line with variation 18 May 2017
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Annexes updated in line with variation published 12 May 2017
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Annexes updated
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Annexe 117 updated
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Annexes 319, 199 updated
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changes to annexes in line with variation dated 01 May 2017
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Annexes updated
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Documents updated
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Changes in line with variation dated 6 April 2017
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Annexes updated
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Annexe updated
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23sch updated
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Annexe 4599 and 9199 updated
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4599 updated
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Annexes updated
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Documents updated
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118 updated
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Annexes updated
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Annexes updated
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Documents updated
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Annexes updated
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4599 and 9199 updated
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Annexe 4599 and 9199
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2017 annexes updated
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Documents updated
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Updates in line with variation dated 12 December 2016
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Update to annexe 118 and 1120
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Annex updated in line with variation dated 6 December 2016
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Cornish FPO Pelagic Category A licence added
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Documents updated
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Annexes updated
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Annexes updated
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Documents updates
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Annexe 1110 updated
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Annexes updated
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Page updated
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Annexe 1119 updated
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Annexes updated
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Annexes updated
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Annexes updated
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Documents updated
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Documents updated
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Annexes updated
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Documents updated
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Annexes updated
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Annexes updated
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Annexes updated
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Updated annexes in line with variation dated 09 September 2016
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Annexes updated
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Annexes updated
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Annexes updated
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Annexe 9199 updated
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Annexe 9199 updated
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Annexe 119 updated
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Annexes updated
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11sch updated
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Variations effective from 00:01 hours, Thursday 11 August 2016 added
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PDFs updated
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Annexes updated in line with variation dated 29 July 2016
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Annexes updated
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Annexes updated
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Annexes updated
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Annexe 9199 updated
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Annexes updated
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Annexe 9199, 1199, 1299 updated
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Annexes updated
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Annexes updated
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Annexe 1199 and 1299 updated
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Documents updated
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Annexes updated in line with variation dated 24 June 2016
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Annexes updated in line with variation dated 22 June 2016
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Annex updated in line with variation dated 13 June 2016
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Annexes udpated
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Annexes updated
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Documents updated
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Annexes updated in line with variation dated 27 May 2016
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Annex's updated in line with variation dated 26 May 2016
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Annex updated in line with variation dated 20 May 2016
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Annexes updated in line with variation dated 19 May 2016
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Annex updated in line with variation dated Friday 13 May 2016
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Annexes updated in line with variation dated 11 May 2016
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Annexes updated
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Annexe 1116 updated
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Documents updated
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various updates in line with variation dated 22 April 2016
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Annexes updated
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changes in line with variation dated 11 April 2016
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Annexes updated
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update to Annexes in line with variation dated 31 March 2016
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Annexes updated
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changes to annexe in line with variation dated 24 March 2016
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Annexe 9199 updated
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Conditions updated
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Annexes updated
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Annexes updated
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annexes updated
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Annexes updated
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Annexe 9199 updated
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Annexes updated
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Annexe 3199 updated
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Annexes updated
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Annexes updated
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Various annexes removed
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Annexes updated
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Annexes updated
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Real time closure conditions updated
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Schedules updated
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Annexe 1119 changed
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11, 12, 17, 31, 41 and transitional conditions PDFs changed
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91 and 94 schedules updated
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Annexes updated
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Annexe updated
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Annexes updated
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Documents updated
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Annexe 119 updated
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Annexes updated
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Annexe 1125 and 1725 updated
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Annexe 1123 updated
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All documents updated
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changes to schedules in line with variation dated 21 December 2015
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Annexes updated
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Changes in line with variation dated 11 December 2015
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Documents updated
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Annexes updated
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Schedule 17 updated
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changes to annexes in line with variation dated 26 November 2015
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Schedule 17 updated
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Annexes updated
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Annexe 119 and 319 updated
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Documents updated
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Documents updated
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update to annexe in line with updated variation dated Friday 13 November
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changes to annexes in line with variation dated Friday 13 November 2015
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Documents updated
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change to annexe in line with variation dated Thursday 08 November 2015
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Annexes updated
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Annexes updated
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Annexes updated
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Annex 9199, 9499, 119 and 319 updated
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Schedules updated
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Annexe 913 updated
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South Western Fish Producers' Organisation (313) added
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Documents updated
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Documents updated
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Annexe 1199 updated
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Annexe 119, 1110, and 4110 updated
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Documents updated
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18 documents updated
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Annexe 119 updated
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Changes made to annexes in line with variation dated 18 September 2015
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Changes to Annexe1117 in ine with varaition dated 18 September 2015
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changes to annexes in line with variation dated 16 September 2015
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PDFs updated
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23con PDF updated
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Annexe updated
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Annexe 1110 updated
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Annexes updated
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Annexes updated
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Annexe 119 and 319 updated
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Annexes updated
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Annexes updated
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Documents changed
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PDFs updated
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Annexe 118 updated
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Annexes updated
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Annexe 119 updated
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Documents updated
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Annexes updated
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Annexe updated
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Annexes updated
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Annexes updated to reflect Scottish real time closure
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Annexes SWFPO, FPO, SFPO, NIFPO, Aberdeen FPO, NESFPO, EEFPO, Fleetwood FPO, NSFO. West of Scotland FPO, NAFPO and the Isle of Man updated
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Annexes changed to reflect restrictions in bass fishing
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Over 10 metre vessels - Deep sea species schedule changed
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Documents updated
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Annex 119 added
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Conditions PDFs changed
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Annexe 9199 updated
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Annexe updated
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Annexes and conditions updated
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Annexe 112 updated
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Annexes updated according to variation dated 14 May 2015
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Annexe 119 and 319 updated
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Documents updated
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Documents updated
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Vessel licence changes effective from 00:01 hours, Friday 1 May 2015.
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Annex updated according to variation dated 24 April 2015
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Annexe 1199 updated
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Conditions 11, 12, 17, 31, 41 and transitional 11 condition
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Conditions 11, 12, 17, 31, 41 updated. Transitional 11 condition updated
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Annexe1110 updated
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Annexe 1110 updated
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PDFs updated
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Additional documents relating to variation dated 30 March 2015
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Annexes updated
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Annexe 1125 and 1725 added
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Annexe 9199 updated
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Conditions 11, 12, 17, 31 and 41 and Transitional 11.
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Annexe 9199 and 9499 updated
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Annexe 1125 and 1725 updated
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Annexe 9199 updated
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Annex 9199, 9499, 1199, 1299, 3199, 1110, 1119 updated
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Transitional Condition A (11) updated
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Updates to conditions and schedules for licences 11,12, 17, 31, 41
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Annexe 9199 updated
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Transitional 11con schedule updated
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Annexe 9199 updated
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Annexes updated as per variation dated 30 January 2015
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annex updated due to variation dated 22 January 2014
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Changes to annexes 1125 and 1725 in line with variation 18 January 2015
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Annexe 119 and Annexe 319 updated
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Changes to annexes 111, 171, 911
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Annexe 9499 updated
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updated to reflect licence variation effective 00.01 on Thursday 1 January 2015
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Changes to annex 119
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Changes to annexe 9199
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Changes to annexes in line with variation dated 14 December
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Changes to annexes in line with variation dated 5 December 2014
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updated a number of documents following licence variation (9199, 1199, 1299 and 3199).
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annexes updated to match variation
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Annexes updated to match variation
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Updated to match variation issued 31 October
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Updated to reflect variation
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Annexes changed to match vessel licence variation
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annexes updated to match licence variation
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Annexes updated as per variation effective 12 October
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annexes updated to match licence variation
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schedules updated to reflect variation dated 29 September 2014
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updated according to licence variation
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Updated a number of annexes to reflect licence variation effective 22 September
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Updated annex for licence 112
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updated a number of annexes
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Annexes updated as per variation
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annexes updated
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Annexes updated according to licence variation
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annexes updated according to licence variation dated 15 August 2014
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Licence annexes updated in association with licence variation issued 8 August 2014
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Annexes updated
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Licence annexes uploaded in line with variation
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Schedules updated
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First published.