Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many fishing enforcement vessels are staffed and recorded in UK waters.

Fisheries control and enforcement is a devolved matter. Defra, the Scottish Government, Welsh Government and Northern Ireland Executive continue to work together to share information and ensure a coordinated approach to monitoring, compliance and enforcement across UK waters.

In England, the Marine Management Organisation (MMO) regularly reviews levels of enforcement capacity and the best options for delivering this based on its assessment of risk and available intelligence. At present, the MMO staffs two commercial enforcement vessels, along with additional fisheries enforcement provision by the Royal Navy. There is an established commercial framework in place, through which the MMO can procure additional surveillance assets at short notice if required.