Asked by: Daniel Zeichner (Labour - Cambridge)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many pollack otolith bones were collected by his Department in International Centre for the Exploration of the Seas area (a) VI and (b) VII in 2019.
Answered by Mark Spencer - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Data is provided only for International Centre for the Exploration of the Seas Area VII. My department has not collected pollack otolith bones from Area VI.
In 2019, 781 otolith bones were collected by Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science.
Asked by: Daniel Zeichner (Labour - Cambridge)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many pollack otolith bones were analysed by his Department in International Centre for the Exploration of the Seas area (a) VI and (b) VII in 2021.
Answered by Mark Spencer - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Data is provided only for International Centre for the Exploration of the Seas Area VII. My department has not analysed pollack otolith bones from Area VI.
In 2021, 818 otolith bones were analysed by Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science.
Asked by: Daniel Zeichner (Labour - Cambridge)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many studies the Centre for Environment Fisheries and Aquaculture Science has (a) conducted and (b) completed using close-kin DNA analysis; and on what species those studies focused.
Answered by Mark Spencer - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Close-kin DNA analysis is a relatively new scientific method for assessing the genetic profile and abundance of animal populations. While it has been used in fish populations elsewhere, including on thornback ray in the Bay of Biscay, the planned scientific study with pollack in the English Channel would be the first time Cefas have used it in the UK.
Asked by: Daniel Zeichner (Labour - Cambridge)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will publish the scientific (a) findings and (b) advice submitted by the Government to the International Centre for the Exploration of the Seas in respect of pollack in area VI(6) and area VII(7) in (i) 2022 and (ii) 2023.
Answered by Mark Spencer - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
You asked if the Department will publish the scientific findings and advice submitted by the Government to the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES) in respect of pollack in area 6 and area 7 in 2022 and 2023. The Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science (Cefas) and the Department do not submit advice to ICES but rather collaborate with the ICES community to generate advice using the available evidence. ICES publish the information used in stock assessments on their website. Scientific findings from projects, such as the forthcoming pollack population size study in the western English Channel, are shared with ICES and published on the Department’s website.
Asked by: Daniel Zeichner (Labour - Cambridge)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to his Department's press release entitled Government announces next steps to support pollack fishermen, published on 23 February 2024, and the Centre for Environment Fisheries and Aquaculture Science's invitation to commercial fishers to register an interest in the forthcoming pollack population size study in the western English Channel, published on 12 March 2024, what the (a) estimated cost and (b) planned timetable for the study is; and what plans he has to publish (i) analysis and (ii) a report of this work for the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea.
Answered by Mark Spencer - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
You asked for details (cost, timeline and publication plans) of the forthcoming pollack population size study in the western English Channel, published on 12 March 2024. The Department is not able to release the estimated cost of the study at this point in time. The indicative timeline of the study is as follows:
Once the data analysis is complete, the results will be shared with the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES) and published on the Department’s website.
Asked by: Daniel Zeichner (Labour - Cambridge)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many pollack otoliths were analysed by his Department in the last 12 months.
Answered by Mark Spencer - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
You asked how many pollack otoliths were analysed by the Department in the last twelve months. Data has been provided for the twelve months of 2023, as otoliths collected in 2024 have not yet been analysed.
643 (out of a target of 597) pollack otoliths were analysed by the Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science (Cefas) in 2023. These otoliths were collected in all quarters of 2023 on a total of 64 trips in the southwest of England.
Asked by: Daniel Zeichner (Labour - Cambridge)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many pollack otoliths were collected by his Department in the last 12 months.
Answered by Mark Spencer - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
You asked how many pollack otoliths were collected by the Department in the last twelve months. Data has been provided for the twelve months of 2023, as otoliths collected in 2024 have not yet been analysed.
643 (out of a target of 597) pollack otoliths were collected by the Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science (Cefas) in 2023. These otoliths were collected in all quarters of 2023 on a total of 64 trips in the southwest of England.
Asked by: Daniel Zeichner (Labour - Cambridge)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many pollack were sampled by his Department for (a) length and (b) sex in the last 12 months.
Answered by Mark Spencer - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
You asked how many pollack were sampled by the Department for (a) length and (b) sex in the last twelve months. Data has been provided for the twelve months of 2023, as pollack collected in 2024 have not yet been analysed.
3,237 pollack lengths were measured by the Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science (Cefas) in 2023. Cefas are unable to determine the sex of the fish sampled because they are landed gutted. These pollack were sampled across all quarters of 2023 on a total of 64 trips in the southwest of England.
Asked by: Daniel Zeichner (Labour - Cambridge)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department plans to take to support (a) animal rescue centres and (b) sanctuaries that receive surrendered primates following the implementation of the Animal Welfare (Primate Licences) (England) Regulations 2023.
Answered by Mark Spencer - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Regulations include a two-year implementation period to provide sufficient time for existing keepers to make necessary changes to comply with the new regulations or to find a suitable alternative home for their primate.
These measures do not meet the threshold for a formal impact assessment and no significant costs on the public sector or businesses have been identified. We will be working with local authorities and the sectors to identify suitable rehoming facilities for primates and determine how they can be supported effectively to meet potential future demand for their services.
Asked by: Daniel Zeichner (Labour - Cambridge)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of the Animal Welfare (Primate Licences) (England) Regulations 2023 on primates kept by owners who are unable to meet licensing requirements under the new regulations.
Answered by Mark Spencer - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Regulations include a two-year implementation period to provide sufficient time for existing keepers to make necessary changes to comply with the new regulations or to find a suitable alternative home for their primate.
These measures do not meet the threshold for a formal impact assessment and no significant costs on the public sector or businesses have been identified. We will be working with local authorities and the sectors to identify suitable rehoming facilities for primates and determine how they can be supported effectively to meet potential future demand for their services.