Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether the Government has direct access to real-time data from the EU fishing vessel monitoring data systems for EU fishing vessels licensed by the Government to fish in UK waters.
It is a legal requirement for all registered fishing vessels over 12 meters in length present within UK waters, including EU vessels, to be fitted with a Vessel Monitoring System satellite tracking system. Data from this system is relayed via the flag member states providing the UK Fisheries Authorities with live positional data.