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

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of marine heatwaves on fish stocks and other marine life; and what adjustment is being made to fishery management and other marine management as a result.

Through the Marine Climate Change Impacts Partnership we are improving our understanding of the impact of climate change, including marine heatwaves. Evidence suggests there can be a lagged relationship between marine heatwaves and impacts to catches of some commercial species, with some increasing in the years after a heatwave and others decreasing.

In the UK we are committed to ensuring that climate change adaptation, resilience and mitigation are fully considered and integrated in our marine and fisheries policies. The third National Adaptation Plan (NAP3) was published on 17 July 2023 and marks a step-change in the UK Government’s approach to climate adaptation, putting in place an ambitious programme of decisive action for the next five years. The NAP3 showcases our plans to adapt to and mitigate the risks of a warming climate in the marine environment, including plans to protect, restore and create blue carbon habitats and manage the risks and opportunities to marine species, habitats and fisheries.