Commentary on provisions of Act Licensing of fishing boats Section 17: Power to grant licences in respect of foreign fishing boats
This section provides powers for the Devolved Administrations and MMO to grant licences to foreign fishing boats.
	Subsection (1) provides that licences may be issued to foreign fishing boats by the Scottish Ministers, the Welsh Ministers, the Northern Ireland department and the MMO.
	Subsection (2) provides that licences issued under subsection (1) may only authorise fishing with respect to the areas of UK waters for which the respective administrations have competence: this is the Scottish Ministers in relation to the Scottish Zone, the Welsh Ministers in relation to the Welsh zone and the Northern Ireland department in relation to the Northern Ireland zone. In relation to the MMO the effect of this provision is that they may only license foreign boats in England or the waters around England.
	Subsection (3) allows licences granted under this section to be limited by reference to certain matters, such as the area in which fishing is authorised, etc.
	Subsection (4) provides that licences granted under this section must name the fishing boat in respect of which it is granted, and may only be granted to the boat’s owner or charterer.