Fishing Vessels: Inspections
(asked on 1st March 2021) - View Source
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many at sea inspections his Department conducted on (a) British and (b) overseas fishing boats in February 2021.
During January and February 2021, the Marine Management Organisation (MMO) carried out no at sea inspections. The total number of shore-based inspections carried out during January and February 2021 by the MMO was 31. This can be broken down as follows:
| January | February |
Shore based inspections carried out on British fishing boats by MMO | 24 | 4 |
Shore based inspection carried out on EU fishing boats by MMO | 0 | 3 |
COVID-19 safety measures introduced in response to high rates of infection impacted the ability to conduct physical inspections of vessels both at sea and on shore during January and February 2021. However, inspections were carried out on quaysides with social distancing measures in place and an increased at sea enforcement presence remained in place for January and February 2021 to deter illegal activity.