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Specific Fishery Authorisations

What are Specific Fishery Authorisations?

The Department manages the fisheries within the Isle of Man territorial sea through a combination of regulations, byelaws and also through the conditions associated with the Isle of Man Sea Fishing Licence.

Isle of Man Sea Fishing Licences are issued by the Department under Sections 37 of the Fisheries Act 2012 (the Act). Section 38 of the Act enables the Department to confer conditional and limited authority to licences, and also enables the Department to vary the authority of a licence if it appears to the Department to be necessary or expedient for the regulation of sea fishing.

Variations to the Isle of Man Sea Fishing Licence may relate to the ‘Specific Fishery Authorisations’, which are part of the Isle of Man Sea Fishing Licence and allow limited and conditional commercial fishing activity by the specified vessel in relation to specific fisheries.

Authorisations are specified in Section C of the licence. Engaging in fishing activity without the required authorisation(s) is prohibited by a condition of the Isle of Man Sea Fishing Licence. The extent and nature of the authorised fishing activity may also be further restricted by regulation, and/or by licence condition with reference to the Isle of Man Sea Fishing Licence Schedule (Section H).

Specific Fishery Authorisations are in place for:

  • King Scallop (0-3 Nautical Miles and 3-12 NM separately)
  • Queen Scallop (0-3 NM and 3-12 NM separately)
  • Crab and Lobster (with pot-allocation limits)
  • Whelk (with pot-allocation limits)

Important: No person may undertake commercial fishing in these fisheries unless they have an Isle of Man Sea Fishing Licence with the relevant Specific Fishery Authorisation on their licence at Section C.

What is the policy relating to Specific Fishery Authorisations?

The Department administers Specific Fishery Authorisations in-line with agreed policy. The policy document is available from the Sea Fisheries Policy Documents on the Legislation, Policy & Guidance page.

Applying for a Specific Fishery Authorisations

The Department may make Specific Fishery Authorisations available for applications in-line with the agreed policy. The details of any Specific Fishery Authorisations that are open for application will be made available on this webpage (below).

Interested persons are invited to submit an application by downloading the application form from the ‘downloadable documents’ section on this page, and returning them to the Department within the application window. Please read the section on ‘applying for Specific Fishery Authorisations’ in the policy document before completing your application.

Specific Fishery Authorisations currently available for application

King Scallop Authorisations - 5 available.

Queen Scallop Authorisations - 5 available.

Crab and Lobster Authorisations - None available at this time.

Whelk Authorisations - None available at this time.

Nephrops (creels) Authorisations - 7 available.

Please note: Applications must be submitted to the Department by 5pm on Friday 19 April 2024.

If you have any queries regarding the application process, please contact the Department on +441624 685857, or email at fisheres@gov.im.

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