Asked by: Baroness Kramer (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what proportion of British fish quotas are controlled by British registered companies owned by non-UK nationals by (1) weight, and (2) value.
Answered by Lord Gardiner of Kimble
The information requested is not available. Such information as is available relates to the holding of fixed quota allocation units (FQA), the mechanism by which most quota is allocated in the UK.
We do not routinely keep information on the nationality of FQA holders. Analysis for 2016 suggests that a little over a tenth of UK FQA was held by non-UK nationals. This figure is based on a sample from the FQA Register, is approximate, and is intended as a guide only.
To address the issue of foreign holdings, an economic link condition was introduced to UK licences to make sure a genuine economic benefit is accrued to the UK from the fishing of UK quota. We are considering the economic link condition as part of the development of our future fisheries management arrangements post EU Exit.