Bycatch Risk Prioritisation Framework

Baroness Jones of Moulsecoomb Excerpts

Tuesday 21st July 2026 Lords Chamber

Asked by

[Baroness Jones of Moulsecoomb]

To ask His Majesty’s Government when they intend to publish the Bycatch Risk Prioritisation Framework.

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Baroness Hayman of Ullock) (Lab)]

My Lords, a report on the bycatch risk prioritisation framework will be published by the end of the year. The framework will identify where we expect bycatch risks to be greatest across the UK. This will help us to target monitoring and mitigation efforts on the species, areas, fishing gears and fisheries that need the most attention. The report will provide a snapshot of current understanding, while the framework will be updated over time.

[Baroness Jones of Moulsecoomb (GP)]

I thank the Minister for her Answer. At the moment, every year, fishing boats are catching—this is an underestimate because not all boats are monitored—at least 10,000 seabirds, 1,000 cetaceans such as harbour porpoises, common dolphins, humpback whales and minke whales, and around 500 seals. That is absolutely appalling. Will the Minister take that back to this new Government, who want to do the right thing? When will the Government publish bycatch action plans for seabirds, cetaceans, seals and protected fish species? When will the Government require remote electronic monitoring on all fishing boats in UK waters, including those under 10 metres in length?

[Baroness Hayman of Ullock (Lab)]

I am aware of the impacts on sensitive species. The noble Baroness outlined that very well. We recognise that different action plans can help towards progress in reducing bycatch by bringing co-ordination and structure, and targeting the species that are being impacted. It is important, however, to notice that these plans are complex. They require significant time investment to ensure that they are evidence-based and deliverable. The seabird bycatch action plan will be designed to provide a valuable template to build on for future plans. However, it is important that we ask whether we should be focusing on the action that this plan will enable us to take or spending all our time on writing different plans. We need to get this plan off the ground and working, and then we can use it as a template. On REM, we are now working towards making it a statutory requirement in the pelagic fishery. That will apply to UK and EU vessels. We are planning for it to become mandatory in other fisheries, in due course.

--- Later in debate ---

[Baroness Hayman of Ullock (Lab)]

I would never want to disagree with my noble friend about the requirement for more ships.

[Baroness Jones of Moulsecoomb (GP)]

My Lords, one of the points I was trying to make was that we do not actually know how large the bycatch from all the fishing ships is. We cannot make plans or solve the problem if we do not know how many other species are being killed. That is why the remote monitoring is so important. As the noble Baroness said, it is about all ships and all boats, not only the larger ones.

[Baroness Hayman of Ullock (Lab)]

It is also about the greatest impact, which is why we start work with the ships that have the greatest impact. I gently say that, 10 years ago, I was the shadow Fisheries Minister, and we were talking about REM coming on board ships then, and it had not happened. We are actually starting to do this, and it is really important that we are finally starting to do something that is going to make a difference and will start to provide us with the data that we need in order to target in the way the noble Baroness suggests.