The formal consultation period closed on 23 August 2024 in relation to the following byelaw.
Sections 155 & 156 Marine and Coastal Access Act 2009
Notice is hereby given that pursuant to the above Regulation, North Eastern Inshore Fisheries and Conservation Authority intends to apply to the Minister for the Department for Environment Food and Rural affairs for confirmation of the following Byelaws:
BYELAW XXXIII Beam Trawling Byelaw 2024
This proposed byelaw sets out new provisions for Beam Trawling within the Authority’s district and is designed to support the management and development of an emergent fishery targeting scallops. The new byelaw regulation also provides for a number of additional management measures to be applied to the use of beam trawls and varied, as mandatory conditions to the permit issued. Key provisions within the proposed byelaw include the following:
· The use of a beam trawl within the NEIFCA district for the exploitation of sea fisheries resources will require an additional permit to be held.
· NEIFCA may limit the number of beam trawl permits issued in any one year.
· To be eligible to apply for a permit, vessels must not exceed 150KW engine power and have held a permit to trawl within the NEIFCA district for three years prior to 6 June 2024.
· A proposed fee of £200 will be charged for each permit.
In total, NEIFCA received 5 written submissions in response to the consultation.
Following the completion of the consultation process and further consideration by NEIFCAs Executive Committee on 5 September 2024, an additional clause has been added to the draft byelaw to exclude the use of small single beam trawls, not exceeding 2.5m, from the provisions of the proposed regulation.
The draft byelaw proposal will now be submitted to the Marine Management Organisation for Quality Assurance alongside a recommendation that they be confirmed by Defra and the further development of an implementation plan.
