Licensing of fishing boats

17Power to grant licences in respect of foreign fishing boats

(1)

A licence may be granted in respect of a foreign fishing boat by—

(a)

the Scottish Ministers,

(b)

the Welsh Ministers,

(c)

the Northern Ireland department, or

(d)

the Marine Management Organisation.

(2)

A licence granted under this section—

(a)

if granted by the Scottish Ministers, does not authorise fishing anywhere outside Scotland and the Scottish zone;

(b)

if granted by the Welsh Ministers, does not authorise fishing anywhere outside Wales and the Welsh zone;

(c)

if granted by the Northern Ireland department, does not authorise fishing outside Northern Ireland and the Northern Ireland zone;

(d)

if granted by the Marine Management Organisation, does not authorise fishing within—

(i)

Scotland or the Scottish zone,

(ii)

Wales or the Welsh zone, or

(iii)

Northern Ireland or the Northern Ireland zone.

(3)

A licence under this section may be granted so as to impose limits on the authority it confers (in addition to the limits imposed by subsection (2)) by reference, in particular, to—

(a)

the area in which fishing is authorised,

(b)

the periods, times or particular voyages during which fishing is authorised,

(c)

the descriptions and quantities of fish which may be caught, or

(d)

the method of sea fishing.

(4)

A licence granted under this section—

(a)

must name the fishing boat in respect of which it is granted, and

(b)

is granted to the boat's owner or charterer.