Fishing opportunities
26Duties to ensure fishing opportunities not exceeded
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 retained direct EU 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.