Asked by: Sheryll Murray (Conservative - South East Cornwall)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what changes she proposes to introduce to the regulation of recreational sea anglers who capture sea bass for the period from 1 January to 30 June 2016.
Answered by George Eustice
The European Commission has issued proposals[1] on fishing opportunities to be agreed for 2016, which includes EU bass management measures for the commercial fishing and recreational sea angling sectors consisting of a moratorium on fishing for bass in the first six months, and reduced catch limits for the latter half of the year. The UK response to these proposals is being considered in advance of negotiations at the December Fisheries Council.
The latest available assessment of the bass stock, from the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea, was published in June this year before the full set of EU bass management measures for 2015 was finalised in September. Its next assessment is due in June 2016.
Asked by: Sheryll Murray (Conservative - South East Cornwall)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what changes she proposes to introduce to the regulation of recreational sea anglers who capture sea bass for the period from 1 July to 31 December 2016.
Answered by George Eustice
The European Commission has issued proposals[1] on fishing opportunities to be agreed for 2016, which includes EU bass management measures for the commercial fishing and recreational sea angling sectors consisting of a moratorium on fishing for bass in the first six months, and reduced catch limits for the latter half of the year. The UK response to these proposals is being considered in advance of negotiations at the December Fisheries Council.
The latest available assessment of the bass stock, from the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea, was published in June this year before the full set of EU bass management measures for 2015 was finalised in September. Its next assessment is due in June 2016.
Asked by: Sheryll Murray (Conservative - South East Cornwall)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what progress she has made in implementing the EU discard ban.
Answered by George Eustice
The landing obligation will come into force in January 2015 for pelagic fisheries, and for other fisheries beginning in 2016. Much progress has been made on implementation.
The UK has now agreed discard plans for pelagic fisheries with other Member States in both the North Sea and North West Waters, and these were recently submitted to the European Commission. Work is also underway with the fishing industry and others on the demersal landing obligation, with a consultation to be launched early in 2015.