Legal background UK law relating to fisheries
In addition to EU law derived from the CFP, there are a number of principal pieces of UK primary legislation that relate to fisheries. These are summarised below.
	The Sea Fish (Conservation) Act 1967 (SF(C)A 1967) contains a number of important provisions which allow the Secretary of State and Devolved Administrations to:
prescribe the size limits for sea fish and minimum net sizes;
license fishing boats;
regulate the trans-shipment of fish from vessel to vessel; and
restrict fishing in certain areas and the landing of foreign-caught fish.
The main licensing orders made under this Act are the Sea Fish Licensing Order 1992 and the Sea Fish Licensing (England) Order 2015. The 2015 Order is a consolidation and applies in relation to England. The 1992 Order continues to apply in relation to Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. The orders prohibit unlicensed fishing anywhere by UK fishing boats (subject to certain exceptions).
	The Sea Fisheries Act 1968 adds to the framework of domestic UK fisheries legislation. In particular it provides that Ministers may make orders regulating the conduct of fishing and makes provision for British sea-fishery officers.
	The Fishery Limits Act 1976 and designation orders made under it prescribe the fishery limits of the British Islands and the rights of the fishing boats of other countries to fish within those limits. British fishery limits are now, for the purposes of section 1 of the Fishery Limits Act, those limits as designated by the Exclusive Economic Zone Order 2013 which declares the area of the UK’s Exclusive Economic Zone (in effect, the United Kingdom’s 12 to 200 nautical mile area of sea).
	The Fisheries Act 1981 created the Sea Fish Industry Authority, setting out its duties and powers (including a power to impose a levy on persons engaged in the sea fish industry). It also contains provisions on financial assistance to the sea fish and fish farming industry. It contains a provision making a breach of EU sea fisheries legislation an offence under the Act.
	The Sea Fisheries (Wildlife Conservation) Act 1992 contains an overarching duty for the Fisheries Administrations and the MMO to have regard to the conservation of marine flora and fauna when carrying out their sea fisheries functions.
	The Marine and Coastal Access Act 2009 established the MMO. The Act makes the MMO the licensing authority for English boats. It also allows Ministers to delegate functions to the MMO and makes provision for the management of inshore fisheries by IFCAs. The Act sets out the regime for marine planning in the UK marine area and provides for the designation and protection of Marine Conservation Zones. The Act also makes provision for the enforcement of fisheries legislation by Marine Enforcement Officers.