Section 26 — Duties to ensure fishing opportunities not exceeded
This version in force from 2024-01-01
Snapshot: 2026-08-24
Reproduced from legislation.gov.uk (Crown Copyright, Open Government Licence v3.0). Amendments made after 2026-08-24 may not be reflected — always check the official text .
(1) The national fisheries authorities must exercise their functions relating to fisheries so as to secure (so far as possible) that, in any period—
(a) no sea fish are caught by British fishing boats in excess of a catch quota for that period;
(b) no days are spent at sea by British fishing boats in excess of an effort quota for that period.
(2) In determining under subsection (1) whether a catch quota is exceeded, only count sea fish caught that are required to be counted against it under—
(a) Article 15 of the Common Fisheries Policy Regulation (landing obligation), or
(b) any other provision of [F1 assimilated direct] legislation.
(3) In determining under subsection (1) whether a catch quota or effort quota is exceeded, ignore any sea fish caught, or days spent at sea, that are referable to fishing opportunities of a territory outside the United Kingdom.
(4) In this section “the national fisheries authorities” means—
(a) the Secretary of State,
(b) the Marine Management Organisation,
(c) the Scottish Ministers,
(d) the Welsh Ministers, and
(e) the Northern Ireland department.
Amendment notes
- F1 Words in s. 26(2)(b) substituted (1.1.2024) by The Retained EU Law (Revocation and Reform) Act 2023 (Consequential Amendment) Regulations 2023 (S.I. 2023/1424), reg. 1(2), Sch. para. 94(2)(b)