Bycatch Risk Prioritisation Framework

Lord Gardiner of Kimble Excerpts

Tuesday 21st July 2026 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Hayman of Ullock (Lab)]

My understanding is that the framework will be ongoing: we get it set up, we get it working, we collect the data and we monitor. It will also inform further frameworks going forward.

[Lord Gardiner of Kimble (Con)]

My Lords, I should perhaps declare an interest, as I took the then Fisheries Bill through your Lordships’ House. All that we have heard today very much chimes with what we heard when we had that consideration. I would like to ask the Minister what progress we are making on the redesign of nets, which was a subject we discussed because of the bycatch issue. There is also the imperative, with which I hope the Minser will agree, that we work with the fishing industry—alongside it—so that we make progress on maximum sustainable yields, which we all desire.

[Baroness Hayman of Ullock (Lab)]

The noble Lord makes a very important point. We have to work with the industry if we are going to resolve this, because we need a balance between sustainable fishing and supporting the industry, while ensuring that we do not have bycatch that causes huge problems to some of our most threatened marine species. He makes a good point regarding nets. I know there has been work done on what nets are made of, what they look like, the size of the holes and all sorts of things like that. That work is ongoing and I am happy to keep him up to date with it.