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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will seek a derogation from the proposed prohibition on driftnet fisheries, amending Council Regulations (EC) No. 850/98, (EC) No. 812/2004, (EC) No. 2187/2005 and (EC) No. 1967/2006 and repealing Council Regulation (EC) No. 894/97 for the purpose of preventing the elimination of local inshore herring fishery in northern Devon.

The Government opposes the European Commission’s proposal for a prohibition on driftnet fisheries, which is not consistent with the new regional fisheries management approach under the reformed Common Fisheries Policy. We strongly support the continuation of sustainable driftnet fisheries such as the herring fishery in northern Devon. I recently wrote to the Fisheries Commissioner to highlight our concerns and we will continue to seek other opportunities to do so.