Asked by: James Gray (Conservative - North Wiltshire)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when the Government plans to allow (a) boat owners to visit marinas and (b) marinas to re-open as the covid-19 restrictions are eased; what discussions he has had with representatives of the Royal Yachting Association on re-opening marinas for boat owners; for what reason marinas were not specifically mentioned in the Government's Covid-19 Response: Spring 2021 roadmap, published on 22 February 2021; and how boat owners can gain access to their boats for regular maintenance while marinas are closed during the covid-19 lockdown.
Answered by Rebecca Pow - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Government’s four-step roadmap has been informed by the latest scientific evidence and seeks a balance between our key social and economic priorities, while preserving the health and safety of the country. The approach focuses on scientific data, not hard and fast dates. The dates shown in the roadmap are the earliest that changes will be made, subject to the data confirming it is safe to do so.
Marinas have not been required to close during the lockdown and have been able to open for permitted activities. Boating activities, including access to marinas and their re-opening where they are closed, should be conducted in line with the roadmap. The Royal Yachting Association is represented at regular stakeholder meetings between Defra officials and other inland waterway representatives.
Boat owners wishing to access their boats during periods of national lockdown should consult the relevant coronavirus regulations and associated guidance on the GOV.UK website to determine what is and is not permitted. Navigation authorities, other industry representatives, and membership bodies in many instances also publish guidance for their waterways on their websites.
Non-essential travel is not permitted anywhere in England during the national lockdown, and while the regulations around essential travel do include some exemptions, attending to regular boat maintenance is not one of them. The regulations allow for an individual or company to employ someone in a professional capacity to visit their boat to undertake regular maintenance works, and they also allow people to leave home exceptionally to secure their second home, caravan or boat to avoid it posing a risk of harm or injury to themselves or others.
From 29 March, people will no longer be legally required to Stay at Home, but should continue to minimise travel wherever possible and should not be staying away from home overnight at this stage.
Asked by: James Gray (Conservative - North Wiltshire)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what plans his Department has to eliminate seal shooting in UK waters before the US Marine Mammal Protection Act Import Provision Rule deadline of 1 January 2022.
Answered by Victoria Prentis - Attorney General
Under the Conservation of Seals Act 1970, it is an offence to take or kill common and grey seals out of season (when they have pups) or to use certain methods to kill or take, unless permitted to do so under exceptional circumstances or by a licence issued under the Act. In the last ten years there have been no licenses issued to shoot seals to protect aquaculture or fisheries interests in England.
The UK Government and devolved administrations are in regular dialogue with the EU, the United States and stakeholders about our US Marine Mammal Protection Act preparation, including any implications for UK seal licensing regimes, to ensure future access to US markets.
Asked by: James Gray (Conservative - North Wiltshire)
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 ensure that data obtained in respect of marine mammal bycatch monitoring meets the requirements of the US Marine Mammal Protection Act Import Provision Rule.
Answered by Victoria Prentis - Attorney General
We have a long-term UK bycatch monitoring programme that uses dedicated observers to focus monitoring efforts on fisheries that pose a high risk of cetacean bycatch. The data from this programme have been used to complete our response to the US National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration to fulfil requirements of the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA).
We continue to engage with the United States to discuss the details of the UK’s approach to cetacean bycatch monitoring and management and to ensure that we meet the requirements of the MMPA Import Provision Rule.
Asked by: James Gray (Conservative - North Wiltshire)
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 has taken in relation to the introduction of the US Marine Mammal Protection Act Import Provision Rule by that country.
Answered by Victoria Prentis - Attorney General
Defra is working closely with Marine Scotland, the Marine Management Organisation, the Joint Nature Conservation Committee, Seafish, the University of St Andrews, the Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science and the British Embassy in Washington DC on the UK’s approach to the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA). Our aim is that the UK can continue to export to the United States when the MMPA is implemented on 1 January 2022.
Asked by: James Gray (Conservative - North Wiltshire)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many seals have been shot to protect (a) aquaculture and (b) fisheries interests in England in each of the last 10 years.
Answered by Victoria Prentis - Attorney General
Under the Conservation of Seals Act 1970, it is an offence to take or kill common and grey seals out of season (when they have pups) or to use certain methods to kill or take, unless permitted to do so by a licence issued under the Act. In the last ten years there have been no licenses issued to shoot seals to protect aquaculture or fisheries interests in England.
Fishers have the legal defence to take unlicensed emergency measures in relation to individual seals to prevent damage to their fishing equipment or fish contained within it. There are no reporting requirements under this provision.