NFFO Fights to Reduce Harbour Dues and Cancel Light Dues

The high price of fuel continues to jeopardise the viability of many UK vessels.

As most fish is sold through the auction system, the industry cannot simply pass on higher costs to the consumer and for the majority of fishermen, income revenue is severely constrained by catch limits, as part of fish stock rebuilding programmes.

The same is true in France and Spain but there, governments have decided to support their fleets through this difficult time by subsidising their fishing industry in a variety of direct and indirect ways.  The UK Government has made it plain that it will not provide the same support.  The result is a very uneven playing field. 

However, the NFFO is fighting to reduce Harbour Dues and cancel Light Dues to reduce the cost burden on fishing vessels and provide a much needed lifeline.

Regarding Harbour Dues, it is in the interests of the fishing harbours to ensure the long term future of the fishing fleets, so we hope they will agree.  When it comes to Light Dues, it is clear this is an unjustifiable tax.

Fishing vessels over 10metres were dragged reluctantly into the light dues system in the late 1980s, when the Government sought a revenue stream to recover the cost of running the last few years of the Decca radio navigation system.  But, even before the universal use of the Global Positioning System, the actual usage of lights provided by the lighthouse service by the over 10 metre fishing fleet had been minimal.  This is why the fishing industry has always resented its inclusion in the light dues system.  No other European government applies light dues to fishermen - pleasure craft pay only a notional amount towards the upkeep of the lights system although they use lights to a much higher degree than other maritime users.  In the same way that funding of the Decca system provided the rationale for the inclusion of fishing vessels in the light dues system, the demise of the Decca system should have been the signal for a review leading to the removal of light dues from the fishing fleet.