Asked by: Lord Randall of Uxbridge (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with the governments of the UK’s Overseas Territories in the Caribbean about stony coral tissue loss disease.
Answered by Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park
The UK Government has been working closely with our Overseas Territories (OTs) in the Caribbean and Western Atlantic in response to stony coral tissue loss disease (SCTLD).
In 2020/2021, HMG’s Conflict, Stability and Security Fund (CSSF) funded a Collaborative Coral Reef Working Group with the Caribbean OTs. This group actively welcomes input from OT government representatives, non-governmental organisations and other key stakeholders involved in coral conservation and SCTLD treatment. This group has met at least once a month since December 2020 to discuss all aspects of SCTLD, including treatment and management options. Its funding has been secured through to March 2024.
As part of the Disaster Resilience in the UK OTs and the Coral Reef Action Plans projects funded by CSSF, the Joint Nature Conservation Committee (JNCC) are assessing the impact of coral loss and degradation on climate resilience, biodiversity and the economy. The reports, which will include the refined model outputs, risk maps and economic valuation report, will be available in the coming months.
Beyond the Caribbean, the Collaborative Coral Reef Working Group includes Bermuda in all activities due to its proximity to the Caribbean region. Links have also been made to UK OTs in the Pacific and Indian Oceans through other UK agencies to ensure that access to the Working Group’s resources and training materials will allow for prevention and early detection of the disease should it spread to these regions.
Asked by: Lord Randall of Uxbridge (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the possible spread of stony coral tissue loss disease to areas beyond the Caribbean.
Answered by Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park
The UK Government has been working closely with our Overseas Territories (OTs) in the Caribbean and Western Atlantic in response to stony coral tissue loss disease (SCTLD).
In 2020/2021, HMG’s Conflict, Stability and Security Fund (CSSF) funded a Collaborative Coral Reef Working Group with the Caribbean OTs. This group actively welcomes input from OT government representatives, non-governmental organisations and other key stakeholders involved in coral conservation and SCTLD treatment. This group has met at least once a month since December 2020 to discuss all aspects of SCTLD, including treatment and management options. Its funding has been secured through to March 2024.
As part of the Disaster Resilience in the UK OTs and the Coral Reef Action Plans projects funded by CSSF, the Joint Nature Conservation Committee (JNCC) are assessing the impact of coral loss and degradation on climate resilience, biodiversity and the economy. The reports, which will include the refined model outputs, risk maps and economic valuation report, will be available in the coming months.
Beyond the Caribbean, the Collaborative Coral Reef Working Group includes Bermuda in all activities due to its proximity to the Caribbean region. Links have also been made to UK OTs in the Pacific and Indian Oceans through other UK agencies to ensure that access to the Working Group’s resources and training materials will allow for prevention and early detection of the disease should it spread to these regions.
Asked by: Lord Randall of Uxbridge (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of stony coral tissue loss disease on the (1) economy, (2) biodiversity, and (3) climate resilience, of the UK’s Overseas Territories in the Caribbean.
Answered by Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park
The UK Government has been working closely with our Overseas Territories (OTs) in the Caribbean and Western Atlantic in response to stony coral tissue loss disease (SCTLD).
In 2020/2021, HMG’s Conflict, Stability and Security Fund (CSSF) funded a Collaborative Coral Reef Working Group with the Caribbean OTs. This group actively welcomes input from OT government representatives, non-governmental organisations and other key stakeholders involved in coral conservation and SCTLD treatment. This group has met at least once a month since December 2020 to discuss all aspects of SCTLD, including treatment and management options. Its funding has been secured through to March 2024.
As part of the Disaster Resilience in the UK OTs and the Coral Reef Action Plans projects funded by CSSF, the Joint Nature Conservation Committee (JNCC) are assessing the impact of coral loss and degradation on climate resilience, biodiversity and the economy. The reports, which will include the refined model outputs, risk maps and economic valuation report, will be available in the coming months.
Beyond the Caribbean, the Collaborative Coral Reef Working Group includes Bermuda in all activities due to its proximity to the Caribbean region. Links have also been made to UK OTs in the Pacific and Indian Oceans through other UK agencies to ensure that access to the Working Group’s resources and training materials will allow for prevention and early detection of the disease should it spread to these regions.
Asked by: Lord Randall of Uxbridge (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to consider the biodiversity of the UK’s Overseas Territories at the forthcoming Convention on Biological Diversity (COP15); and what expectations they have for the contribution that the UK’s Overseas Territories will make in respect of achieving the UK’s overall biodiversity targets.
Answered by Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park
The UK is seeking an ambitious outcome for nature at COP15. We will be supporting a set of goals and targets to halt and reverse the loss of global biodiversity by 2030. The UK Overseas Territories (OTs) are biodiversity hotspots containing 94% of the UK’s endemic species. The Government recognises the need to continue to support the UK Overseas Territories in protecting their unique environments. Since 2012, Darwin Plus, Defra’s flagship Overseas Territory environmental grants fund, has awarded over £32 million to over 162 projects in the OTs, helping the OTs and the UK to meet international obligations and deliver the UK 25 Year Environment Plan.
The 25 Year Environment Plan sets out the Government’s ambition in protecting biodiversity in the UKOTs. As a result, the Government is taking action to recover threatened, iconic or economically important species of animals, plants and fungi, and where possible to prevent human-induced extinction or loss of known threatened species in the OTs.
Furthermore, supported by the UK Government, OTs have put in place a Blue Belt of marine protection and sustainable management over more than 4 million square kilometres, with more OTs set to join the Programme. This means that the UK has made a significant contribution to protecting 30% of the world’s oceans and their biodiversity.
The Goal and targets agreed at COP15 will be global. All Parties will be expected to contribute according to national circumstances, but the UK will demonstrate global leadership in taking steps to deliver them. Actions taken domestically, and in the OTs, will all have a role to play.
Asked by: Lord Randall of Uxbridge (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask Her Majesty's Government when they expect to launch their consultation on the welfare of game birds.
Answered by Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park
The expectation is that we will be calling for evidence later this year on gamebird welfare, including the use of cages in the sector. The intention is to then seek the views of the independent, expert Animal Welfare Committee on where improvements might be made.
Asked by: Lord Randall of Uxbridge (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask Her Majesty's Government how much money they have given to each of the UK's Overseas Territories in the Caribbean to treat stony coral tissue loss disease in the last two years.
Answered by Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park
The UK Government has been working very closely with our Overseas Territories (OTs) in the Caribbean in response to Stony Coral Tissue Loss Disease (SCTLD), including a Collaborative Coral Reef Working Group which has supported local and regional collaboration between Caribbean OTs. The following funding has been provided to each of the UK OTs in the Caribbean for the treatment and management of SCTLD:
Over 2020-2022, £208,608 was provided to the Turks and Caicos Islands (TCI): £108,608 for disease treatment and £100,000 to pilot a collaborative working group with the Caribbean OTs. The collaborative working group includes training and equipment provisions within UK OTs for SCTLD.
In 2020/2021, the British Virgin Islands (BVI) received £75,000 for SCTLD via the Conflict, Stability and Security (CSSF) Fund.
In 2021/2022, the UK Government provided further funding across the OTs for coral reef monitoring and SCTLD management. This included £102,000 to the TCI, the BVI, and the Cayman Islands, £92,000 to Anguilla, and £91,000 to Montserrat.
Asked by: Lord Randall of Uxbridge (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with non-governmental organisations working in the UK's Overseas Territories about the treatment of stony coral tissue loss disease.
Answered by Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park
The UK Government has been working closely with our Overseas Territories (OTs) in the Caribbean in response to Stony Coral Tissue Loss Disease (SCTLD).
In 2020/2021, the UK Government provided £100,000 to pilot a collaborative working group with the Caribbean OTs. This group actively welcomes input from OT government representatives, non-governmental organisation (NGOs) and other key stakeholders such as dive operators and field study centres involved in coral conservation and SCTLD treatment. This group has met at least once a month since December 2020 to discuss all aspects of SCTLD, including treatment and management options.
The funding of this group is now secured through a three year £497,000 Darwin Plus grant that started in June 2021 and ends in March 2024. Direct funding through this grant is provided to OT government partners, including NGOs, who are directly supporting the treatment efforts in-country. Notably, for this Darwin Plus grant, the Department of the Environment and Coastal Resources in the Turks and Caicos Islands are funding the Turks and Caicos Reef Fund, and the Ministry of Natural Resources in the British Virgin Islands (BVI) are partnering with the National Parks Trust of the Virgin Islands.
Over the last two years, through the Conflict, Stability and Security Fund, the UK Government has also funded NGOs to deliver work on behalf of, or alongside governments, to implement SCTLD treatment. This has included discussions on treatment. Agreements have been put in place to formalise these arrangements following discussions with OT government departments in Bermuda, BVI and Montserrat.
Asked by: Lord Randall of Uxbridge (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what percentage of English vessel fishing activity is currently monitored at sea either with (1) human observers, or (2) Remote Electronic Monitoring.
Answered by Lord Benyon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Each UK administration independently runs a scientific at-sea observer programme which typically covers around 1% of total fishing activity.
There is currently one English registered vessel with Remote Electronic Monitoring (REM) taking part in a pilot trial for testing traceability; three vessels with REM equipment taking part in a scientific programme to collect catch composition data; and four vessels using REM for data collection focused on elasmobranch species which includes sharks, rays and skates.
Human observations take place as part of the fisheries data collection framework.
Asked by: Lord Randall of Uxbridge (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether their Joint Fisheries Statement will commit to evidence-based fisheries management; and whether they will consultt on the correct (1) scale, and (2) use, of Remote Electronic Monitoring in English fisheries.
Answered by Lord Benyon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Joint Fisheries Statement (JFS) as drafted contains provisions for the UK to continue taking an evidence-based approach to fisheries and aquaculture management, making full use of the best available scientific evidence, and supporting the UK in continuing to meet its international obligations and Fisheries Act 2020 objectives. This will be underpinned by a wide-ranging and coordinated monitoring programme and advisory framework, which will be further enhanced by research.
The use of best available evidence and scientific advice, transparent decision making, and partnership working, will be core principles that will underpin delivery of the policies in the JFS.
As part of our commitment to delivering a world class fisheries management system Defra is developing a set of proposals for expanding the use of Remote Electronic Monitoring (REM) in English waters. We have been engaging with stakeholders to explore their views on different approaches, including on the scale and use of REM, and will test future proposals through public consultation.
Asked by: Lord Randall of Uxbridge (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they will take to ensure a better (1) geographic, and (2) seasonal, distribution of fishing effort.
Answered by Lord Benyon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK views information on the geographic distribution of fish stocks as fundamental to establishing both the Total Allowable Catch (TAC) and a coastal state’s share of a given stock in bilateral, trilateral and multilateral negotiations. This information should form the basis for how catch advice for each biological stock is apportioned across TAC management areas.
UK quotas are apportioned between Fisheries Administrations for allocation to their respective fishing industries. The sector, which is made up of Producer Organisations, manage their allocation of quota on behalf of their members in a range of UK and distant water fisheries. The non-sector allocation of quota is managed by the Marine Management Organisation and Marine Scotland, who work closely with industry to balance the need for quota in seasonal and local fisheries.