- Public Notice – Fishermen’s Election
- Notice is hereby given by the North Sunderland Harbour Commissioners that an election will be held in October 2024 for fishermen’s Commissioners to serve from 1 November 2024 until 31 October 2027.
- In order to be eligible to vote in the elections, or to be nominated for election as a fishermen’s Commissioner, a person must first be included on the ‘register of fishermen’ that the Commissioners are required to keep in accordance with Article 9 of the North Sunderland Harbour Order 1931 (‘the 1931 Order’).
- The Commissioners are therefore publishing this notice to call for applications from persons that wish to be included on the ‘register of fishermen’. In accordance with Article 9(2) of the 1931 Order, persons eligible for registration are those who:
- Are resident (i.e. live) in the civil parish of North Sunderland; and
- Are either:
- the owner or part owner of a fishing boat in respect of which composition duties have been duly paid for the use of the harbour; or
- someone who wholly or partly derives their livelihood from sea fishing in a fishing boat in respect of which composition duties have been duly paid for the use of the harbour.
As such to be eligible for inclusion on the register of fishermen, all applicants must fulfil the criteria in (1) and then either (2)(a) or 2(b) (or both 2(a) and 2(b)).
- Applications
- To assist applicants the following points of clarity are provided:
- The reference to composition dues is to a vessel paying a “composition” under Part I(B) of the Schedule to the 1931 Order. The equivalent of this due is now “Annual Berthing Dues”. As such in respect of eligibility to join the register at this time, the due that needs to have been paid / be paid prior to application, in respect of a fishing vessel, is the “Annual Berthing Due” for 2024/25.
- In respect of eligibility under 2(a), the requirement is simply that you are the owner or part owner of a fishing boat and that the Annual Berthing Due has been paid in respect of it. On the wording of the 1931 Order, there is no requirement for the fishing boat to be actively partaking in fishing activities at the time of application, as long as the vessel is a fishing boat.
- In respect of eligibility under 2(b), it is considered that:
- ‘sea fishing’ includes commercial angling charters;
- the vessel on which the person wholly or partly derives their livelihood from sea fishing, must be a fishing vessel in respect of which the ‘Annual Berthing Due’ for 2024/25 has been paid. So in this case, the fishing vessel would need to be undertaking sea fishing activities, in order for that person to be able to wholly or partly derive their livelihood from sea fishing on it.
- When making an application, a person should provide sufficient supporting evidence to enable the Commissioners to determine whether the criteria has been met, for example:
- For all applications:
- full name and address;
- proof of address;
- evidence that the vessel referred to in the application is a fishing vessel;
- evidence of payment of the Annual Berthing Dues in respect of the vessel.
- In addition to the above, for applications under 2(a):
- proof of ownership or part ownership of the vessel referred to in the application.
- In addition to the above, for applications under 2(b):
- evidence that the applicant wholly or partly derives their livelihood from sea fishing on the vessel (or vessels) referred to in the application.
- Regarding all applications, please do not assume that the Commissioners have any prior knowledge of the status of applicants (i.e. include all relevant supporting information in the application).
- In addition to the above, if, in accordance with Article 9(2) of the 1931 Order, the applicant has any additional representations it wishes the Commissioners to take into account when considering the application, please also include them with the application.
- Applications must be sent to the Commissioners marked for the attention of the ‘Clerk of the North Sunderland Harbour Commissioners’.
- Timing of consideration of applications
- In respect of any application for registration as fisherman received by the Clerk by 4.00 pm on Friday 13 September 2024, the Commissioners shall confirm to each applicant, whether or not they have been registered by the Commissioners on the ‘register of fishermen’ under Article 9(1) of the 1931 Order by 4.00 pm on Friday 20 September
- In respect of any application for registration as a fisherman received by the Clerk after 4.00pm on Friday 13 September 2024 but before the fishermen’s election process is concluded, the Commissioners will use their reasonable endeavours to process applications for registration as fishermen made under Article 9(2), and to confirm to the applicant whether or not they have been registered, within five working days of receipt of the application.
- Any person who is already on the Register of Fishermen who still meets the criteria above does not need to reapply and will remain on the Register unless they cease to meet the criteria above. Any person on the Register of Fishermen who no longer meets the criteria must inform the Commissioners.
- North Sunderland Harbour Commissioners
- 4 September 2024