9 August 2012
The NFFO is pressing the UK Fisheries Minister taking advantage of an EU exemption from the requirement for vessels between 12m and 15m to fit satellite monitoring equipment.
A breathing space is vital to allow time to address looming implementation problems. The Federation has asked for an urgent meeting to discuss the issue.
Dear Minister
We believe that the implementation of the EU regulation regarding VMS and e-log books has been mishandled.
We fully accept that VMS and e-logs are likely to have an important role to play in the future management of sustainable fisheries, not least in the management of marine protected areas and the reduction of discards.
I am sorry to advise however, that it is our view that the Defra/MMO implementation of the EU requirement to extend VMS to the 12m-15m fleet is seriously deficient. This is largely due to a rushed process in which detailed dialogue with industry organisations, such as the NFFO, on how to implement the EU requirements, has largely been absent.
Our main areas of concern are:
- That the UK has not taken advantage of the scope for an exemption specifically available within the EU Control Regulation for day-boats, and vessels that operate within territorial waters. This derogation, had the UK chosen to take advantage of it, would provide the time for a more orderly, phased approach to the application of new, untried and untested, technology to a section of the fleet in which the challenges are significant. Given the current Red Tape Challenge initiative we are more than a little surprised that the UK has taken the opportunity to gold plate this piece of European legislation when an eminently sensible derogation was and is available, specifically to deal with the practical issues of application which were foreseen by the Commission and Council at least.
- That clear assurances that Defra/MMO would not repeat the Government’s single supplier arrangements for over-15m vessels, which created a monopoly and exposed vessel operators to exploitative maintenance contracts, overcharging and a pitiful level of service, have been reneged on. The explanations provided so far for this volte-face have not been convincing.
- There are a number of specific technical, practical problems associated with the introduction of e-logs to the 12-15m category of vessels that require resolution, and which it would be foolhardy to ignore by pressing on regardless.
No successful fisheries management measures have ever been introduced on the basis of a rushed process where practical problems are ignored. The deadline of 1st November for 12m-15m vessels to have VMS installed will create a chaotic rush to avoid prosecution, which for those vessels falling under the EU derogation, is completely unnecessary. The UK could choose to make use of the derogation to allow for time to introduce VMS and e-logs where and when it makes sense – for example to allow access to MPAs under a zoned management regime or as part of a fully documented fishery, rather than as a blanket measure which has more than a hint of the ‘tick-box’ about it.
Against this background, we would request an urgent meeting to discuss how the new technology can be introduced to this part of the fleet on a more rational, proportionate and practical basis, without exposure to Government created monopolies.