Sir: In all the hullabaloo over the European Court's fishing ruling very little has been said about what could be done right now to stop the quota-hoppers.
Boats flying a UK flag of convenience have a choice. Either they must land half their catch in Britain, or they must visit one of our ports at least four times every six months. Why offer the choice? Make it compulsory to do both, and you would change the economics of quota-hopping. The change would not eliminate the practice but would make many trips uneconomic. It could be made at no cost and with no fear of falling foul of Euro-law - it concerns licence conditions, not legislation.
Robin Teverson MEP
(Cornwall & West Plymouth, Lib Dem)
Callington, Cornwall
The writer is a member of the European Parliament Fisheries Committee.
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