Licensing (EU Vessels)

EU vessel access to the territorial sea of the Isle of Man

The Isle of Man is responsible for authorisation and licensing of fishing vessels within the territorial sea of the Island. Sea Fishing Licences are granted under the Sea Fisheries (Licensing) (Fishing Vessels) Regulations 2021. 

Applications for EU vessels to fish in the waters around the Isle of Man are to be submitted by the European Commission to the UK Single Issuing Authority (SIA) on behalf of EU Member States. The SIA operates as a single point of contact between the Isle of Man and the European Commission for the purposes of exchanging information for licensing and authorisations.

Under article 502 of the Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA) between the United Kingdom and the European Union, access to the Isle of Man territorial sea by qualifying EU vessels will reflect the actual extent and nature of fishing activity that it can be demonstrated was carried out by qualifying vessels from 1 February 2017 to 31 January 2020 (the reference period), under the treaty arrangements which were then in force (the former London Fisheries Convention). A qualifying EU vessel is one which can demonstrate that it fished in the territorial sea around the Isle of Man on at least 11 days in any of the years ending on 31 January 2018, 31 January 2019 or 31 January 2020.

Applications are forwarded to the Isle of Man by the SIA. Where an application is approved, the Isle of Man will issue a licence directly to the owner of the relevant EU vessel, by email. The Isle of Man charges an annual fee for fishing vessel licences under the Sea Fisheries (Licensing) (Fees) Regulations 2022. If any of the details in the licence an applicant receives are incorrect, they should inform the flag State fisheries authority immediately.

More information can be found on the UK Single Issuing Authority (UKSIA) website.

Former Treaty Arrangements (London Fisheries Convention 1964)

The UK Government announced its withdrawal from the London Fisheries Convention 1964 on 03^rd July 2017, and withdrew with effect from 31 December 2020.

The former London Fisheries Convention 1964 allowed for the following access arrangements.