Fishing - Scottish Economic Link licence condition: guidance
Information about the amended Scottish Economic Link licence condition (effective from 1 January 2026).
From 1 January 2023 all Scottish administered vessels over 10m in length which landed over 10 tonnes of the noted species must have meet either of the following obligations:
1. a) Land more than 55% of cod, haddock, whiting, hake, anglerfish & nephrops (combined) in the period 1 January - 31 December 2023 into a Scottish port.
1. b) Land more than 30%, of herring and mackerel (combined) in the period 1 January - 31 December 2023 into a Scottish port.
2. Return quota in the following calendar year equivalent to 26% of the lost value to Scotland.
Vessels which did not meet condition 1(a) or 1(b) in 2023
| A10105 | NORTHERN STAR |
| A10184 | PROVIDER |
| A10188 | CHARMEL |
| A11754 | ACIONNA |
| A13160 | TAHUME |
| A16740 | ESPEMAR DOS |
| B11132 | WAKEFUL |
| B13488 | ANNEGINA |
| B13827 | ALBION |
| C17307 | SPARKLING STAR IV |
| C17805 | QUO VADIS |
| C19630 | PATRICIA MARTA |
| C20043 | MIKKEL LOUISE |
| C20104 | ISLA S |
| C20259 | NEREUS |
| C20969 | HENK SENIOR |
| C21237 | NEELTJE |
| C21269 | GOOD HOPE |
These vessels have since complied with condition 2 and the table below shows the aggregated quotas recovered from these vessels in 2024.
| Stock | Quota recovered (tonnes) |
|---|---|
| NS cod | 29.6 |
| NS haddock | 13.2 |
| NS nephrops | 27.9 |
| NS plaice | 10.8 |
| NS skate and rays | 11.8 |
| NS whiting | 17.6 |
| NS witch | 2 |