Overview

Fishing anywhere by a British fishing boat is prohibited unless authorised by a licence. If you fish without a licence or do not comply with your licence conditions, you may be prosecuted. All owners are jointly liable for any offences committed by the vessel.

To protect fish stocks, MMO does not issue new licences and there are a limited number in circulation. The only way you can get a licence is by transferring an existing one to your vessel. You need a licence entitlement to do this.

Exemptions

You don’t need a licence for your vessel if any of the following apply:

• it doesn’t have an engine
• it will only be used to fish for common eels, salmon or migratory trout – you do need a rod licence
• you fish only within the 12 nautical mile limits around Jersey, Guernsey or the Isle of Man – you may need a licence from the suitable authority
• you only use your vessel to fish for pleasure

Things to consider

Before applying for a fishing vessel licence, it is your responsibility to ensure you understand your obligations as a licence holder. We have outlined some key considerations below. You should also check with other agencies such as (but not limited to) the Marine Coastguard Authority (MCA) and your regional Inshore Fisheries & Conservation Authority (IFCA).

Where you will be fishing

Your fishing vessel licence authorises you to fish within UK waters. If you want access to non-UK waters, you should contact the UK Single Issuing Authority (UKSIA)

Licence conditions

Your fishing vessel licence is in several parts.

• Part 1: Vessel details
• Part 2: Conditions
• Part 3: Schedule
• Part 4: Annex

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. It’s important to note that we do sometimes issue variations to licence conditions and it is your responsibility to check these – read more on our understand your fishing vessel licence page

Monitoring systems

Depending on the size of your vessel, you may also need to ensure monitoring systems are in place on your vessel.

Vessel monitoring system devices (over-12 meter vessels)

Inshore Vessel Monitoring System (I-VMS) devices for under-12 metre fishing vessels registered in England

Catch recording

All catches need to be recorded on our central system and you’ll also need to create a catch certificate if you are exporting. Read the guidance:

Record your catch

Create a UK catch certificate

Register your vessel

You must register your vessel on the UK Ship Registry to get a domestic fishing vessel licence, unless your vessel is registered in the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man.

For more information contact the:

• UK Ship Register
• Maritime Coastguard Agency (MCA)

Get a licence entitlement

A licence entitlement is the right to apply for a domestic fishing vessel licence.

You can get an entitlement by obtaining:

• the entitlement from a vessel that has sunk, been scrapped or is no longer being used for fishing
• a licence currently on a vessel

You need to make sure the entitlement is:

• the correct licence category for your fishing requirements. See licences and permits
• suitable for a vessel 10m and under
• suitable for any shellfish requirement (if applicable). See licences and permits
• the correct tonnage of your vessel and
• the correct engine power (kilowattage) of your vessel

You can license a vessel using one licence entitlement. This is referred to as a single licence transfer. You can combine two or more entitlements to license your vessel. This is referred to as an aggregation. You can also split an entitlement. This is referred to as a disaggregation.

Aggregation and disaggregation rules

Only licence entitlement of the same category may be aggregated. If licence entitlements from different categories are aggregated, then your licence will be downgraded to the lowest category shared by the licence entitlements used.

If you want to disaggregate a licence entitlement that has a shellfish permit, the permit can only be allocated to one of the disaggregated parts. You can choose which part will receive the permit on the AFL19 application. All other parts relating to that permit will be allocated a track record.

For example, the donor entitlement has a shellfish permit:

• you have applied to split an entitlement into three new disaggregated parts
• you have requested the shellfish permit to be allocated to the first new disaggregated part

As the shellfish permit has been allocated to the first new disaggregated part, a shellfish track record will be allocated to the second and third new disaggregated parts.

Disaggregated parts with a permit or track record can be aggregated with licence entitlements which have a permit. The resulting licence will have a permit.

Aggregations of two or more disaggregated parts with only track records will result in a licence without a permit.

Aggregations of a disaggregated part with a permit or track record and a licence entitlement with no permit will result in a licence without a permit.  

 Aggregations of licence entitlements or disaggregated parts with a suspended shellfish permit will result in a licence without a shellfish permit.

Aggregation restrictions and engine power limits

Licence entitlements from vessels under 8m may not be used in an aggregation to license a vessel between 8 and 10m. A single licence transfer from an under 8m vessel can be used to license an 8 to 10m vessel, subject to the dimensions of the entitlement being suitable for the larger vessel.

There are engine power limits for vessels of 10m and under which are licensed by aggregation. They stand at:

• 150 kw limit on aggregations onto vessels between 8 and 10m
• 100 kw limit on aggregations onto vessels under 8m

Single licence transfer over these limits will be permitted unless the entitlements to be used have been created through aggregation outside of English administration after 24 February 2015.

Establishing a licence entitlement

When the current holder removes the licence from a vessel and wants to retain the entitlement this process is referred to as establishing an entitlement.

If you are the current holder and want to establish an entitlement, you will need to complete application  Establishment or transfer of an entitlement and transfer of a licence that is administered by Marine Management Organisation (AFL7).

Once MMO receives the application, if everything is in order, they will aim to send your ‘Notification of Entitlement’ within 5 working days.

You should note that a Notification of Entitlement is NOT a valid domestic fishing vessel licence.

Transferring a licence or licence entitlement

If you are the current holder and want to transfer a licence entitlement, you will need to complete application Establishment or transfer of an entitlement and transfer of a licence that is administered by Marine Management Organisation (AFL7) to surrender the licence entitlement.

If you are wanting a licence entitlement to be transferred into your name, you do not need to complete this application but you will need to provide the current holder with the following details so they can tell us that they are surrendering the rights to their licence or licence entitlement to you.

The current holder will need the following details for all new holders.

• name
• address
• email address
• mobile phone number
• your company registration number if you are a UK company.

Once MMO receives the application from the current holder, they will notify you by email and you will be able to check the licence or licence entitlement details. If everything is in order, they will aim to send your ‘Notification of Entitlement’ within 5 working days.

You should note that a Notification of Entitlement is NOT a valid domestic fishing vessel licence.

Disaggregating a licence entitlement

If you are the current holder and want to disaggregate your licence entitlement into 2 or more parts, you will need to complete Application to Disaggregate a Fishing Vessel Licence Entitlement (AFL19).

If you are the current holder and want to transfer a disaggregated entitlement you will need to complete Establishment or transfer of an entitlement and transfer of a licence that is administered by Marine Management Organisation (AFL7).

If you want a disaggregated entitlement to be transferred into your name and not split further, you do not need to complete the AFL7 application. You must give the current holder the following details so they can tell us that they are surrendering the rights to their disaggregated entitlement to you.

The current holder will need the following details for all new holders.

• name
• address
• email address
• mobile phone number
• your company registration number if you are a UK company

Once MMO receives the application from the current holder, they will notify you by email and you will be able to check the disaggregated entitlement details. If everything is in order, they will aim to send your ‘Notification of Entitlement’ within 5 working days.

You should note that a Notification of Entitlement is NOT a valid domestic fishing vessel licence.

Apply for your licence

To apply for a fishing licence for a British registered fishing vessel, you will need to complete Application for a fishing licence for a registered fishing vessel administered by MMO.

You may need to demonstrate an economic link between the vessel and the UK, Channel Islands or Isle of Man to make landings at certain ports within designated times. For more information, please contact your local MMO office.

Your vessel licence covers the UK EEZ. If you want access to non-UK waters, you should contact the UK Single Issuing Authority (UKSIA).

Moves in and out of England

Category and permit changes

Category A limited licences are only issued in England. If a Category A limited licence were to transfer to another fisheries administration, it would become a Category A licence. If the licence were to transfer back to England, it would revert to a Category A limited licence.

Some shellfish permits were only suspended in England. If a licence suspended shellfish were to transfer to another fisheries administration, it would not hold a shellfish permit. If the licence were to transfer back to England, it would revert to a licence with a suspended shellfish permit.

Fixed Quota Allocation (FQA) units moratorium 

There is a current embargo on the trading of FQA units to and from Scotland and the rest of the UK. Therefore, FQA units will need to be removed from a licence entitlement before the entitlement can move to or from Marine Scotland.

The ban on the movement of FQA units from Scotland to the rest of the UK has been in place since January 2014. The embargo on units transferring from the rest of the UK to Scotland has been in place since December 2016.

Request to change UK fisheries administration

Any vessel wishing to change administration within the UK should submit an application to change UK fisheries administration, before a transaction proceeds, to its current administration for consideration.

The reasons for requesting a change of the country of administration should take into account the Concordat criteria that fishing vessels will, in general, be administered from the territory that they predominantly fish out of.

Bass authorisations

If you want to catch and retain bass by gears other than demersal trawls and seines, you must have a written authorisation from MMO to do so. Authorisations are being issued to vessels with a track record of landing bass during the reference period of 1 July 2015 to 30 September 2016.

Once you have been issued an authorisation you will be permitted to catch and retain bass with the gear types listed on your authorisation, subject to the specific limitations for each gear.

A bass authorisation does not transfer ownership with a licence entitlement. The authority remains with the vessel. If you are replacing a vessel that has a bass authorisation, a transfer of authorisation will be considered but is subject to strict rules. It is the responsibility of any vessel owner to seek relevant approvals from MMO prior to making a commitment to purchase a new fishing vessel, where they are wanting to transfer any existing authorisation.

You can find more details in the bass fishing guidance. If you have a question about a bass authorisation, including a transfer, email bass@marinemanagement.org.uk.

Contact information

For further information on domestic fishing vessel licensing rules please contact the Fisheries Management Team.

MMO Helpline: 0300 123 1032

Find out about call charges

Email: fishingvessellicensing@marinemanagement.org.uk