Annex: Extract from Department for Transport's
partial Regulatory Impact Assessment
"Whereas estimates of the cost of Installing
AIS equipment on fishing vessels vary, it is clear that these
costs would have to be met by the owners of fishing vessels, many
of whom are operating at the margins of economic viability, and
the extra burden, especially in the case of the smaller vessels
in the size range (15-45 metres) which will be affected by the
AIS carriage requirement, should not be understated.
"The cost impact on the UK fishing industry
as a whole is estimated at approximately £1.2m (£1400
per vessel for a fleet of c840 vessels). That does not include
maintenance costs, which will be marginal.
"In order to spread the impact on the industry
Council has reached a provisional agreement to phase in the implementation
of the AIS carriage requirement for existing vessels over 3 years
starting with the larger vessels (where the cost will be proportionately
less in terms of the other costs of operating and maintaining
the vessel) working down to the smaller boats (where the costs
of fitting AIS would be proportionately higher). So the annual
cost to the industry in each year of the phase-in period will
be approximately £400,000. Vessels built after the Directive
comes into force will be required to be AIS equipped, the cost
of the AIS equipment being de minimis in terms of the building
and fitting-out costs of fishing vessels of 15 metres or more.
"While the current average cost of the necessary
equipment is in the order of £1,400, the price of the equipment
should fall in real terms over the period of the phase-in given
the increased volume of units required leading to lower unit costs
of production and technological advances.
"The Commission has advised Member States that
the purchase of AIS equipment can be funded under the EFF (European
Fisheries Fund) at a level of 40%, on condition that Member States
make provision for it in their operational programmes."
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