Asked by: Peter Aldous (Conservative - Waveney)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is taking with Cabinet colleagues to support fishing communities.
Answered by Mark Spencer - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Fisheries are a priority for this Government. Since the fishing sector rightly want stocks to be there for the future, sustainability is critical to the economy and the environment. We are showing our support in a variety of ways.
We secured quota uplifts, amounting to £146 million by 2026, due to leaving the EU.
We have started to develop Fisheries Management Plans which allow more bespoke approaches to managing our stocks, including those that were badly protected by the Common Fisheries Policy. This will help ensure economic, environmental and social sustainability in the long term.
We have opened new sustainable fisheries for spurdog and bluefin tuna, and have responded to requests to improve the management of crawfish.
Additionally, the £100 million UK Seafood Fund is bringing long-term economic benefits to coastal communities.
Asked by: Peter Aldous (Conservative - Waveney)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether she is taking steps with Cabinet colleagues to support farmers importing plant protection products that require parallel trade permits.
Answered by Mark Spencer - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The parallel trade arrangements set out in EU legislation were based on information sharing between the Member States. Parallel trade permits that were in place when the UK left the EU have been continued for a time. Defra is aware that sales of these parallel products end on 30 June 2023, and the final date for use is 30 June 2024. Secretary of State is committed to supporting farmers with appropriate use of plant protection products, within the context of securing a thriving, environmentally sustainable farming sector, engaging with Cabinet colleagues as appropriate. DEFRA is aware of farmer concerns about parallel trade permits and, together with the Health and Safety Executive, we are monitoring the situation.
Asked by: Peter Aldous (Conservative - Waveney)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent assessment she has made of the potential impact of the Government's decision to withdraw parallel trade permits for plant protection products on the agriculture industry.
Answered by Mark Spencer - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The parallel trade arrangements set out in EU legislation were based on information sharing between the Member States. Parallel trade permits that were in place when the UK left the EU have been continued for a time. Defra is aware that sales of these parallel products end on 30 June 2023, and the final date for use is 30 June 2024 and, with the Health and Safety Executive, we are monitoring the situation.
Asked by: Peter Aldous (Conservative - Waveney)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether she has had recent discussions with the Health and Safety Executive on the potential impact of parallel trade permits for plant protection products on (a) competitiveness and (b) productivity in the agriculture industry.
Answered by Mark Spencer - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The parallel trade arrangements set out in EU legislation were based on information sharing between the Member States. Parallel trade permits that were in place when the UK left the EU have been continued for a time. Defra is aware that sales of these parallel products end on 30 June 2023, and the final date for use is 30 June 2024, and we are monitoring the situation.
Asked by: Peter Aldous (Conservative - Waveney)
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 make it her policy to support high seas marine protected areas in relevant regional fisheries management organisations..
Answered by Mark Spencer - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Draft text for an international legally binding instrument under the United Nations Convention on the Law of Sea on the conservation and sustainable use of marine biological diversity of areas beyond national jurisdiction - the BBNJ Agreement - was agreed on 5 March. It will be adopted by the Intergovernmental Conference at a further meeting, later this year. This is a landmark agreement for biodiversity and will mean much greater protection for over 60% of the global ocean.
The UK will work to ratify the Agreement as soon as possible, and work with global partners to ensure it is implemented quickly and effectively.
The UK uses its engagement in Regional Fisheries Management Organisations and other international forums to push for outcomes focused on managing fisheries sustainably, protecting marine ecosystems (including through Marine Protected Areas) and combatting illegal fishing.
Asked by: Peter Aldous (Conservative - Waveney)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she is taking to propose new Marine Protected Areas under the mechanism established by the new High Seas Treaty.
Answered by Mark Spencer - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Draft text for an international legally binding instrument under the United Nations Convention on the Law of Sea on the conservation and sustainable use of marine biological diversity of areas beyond national jurisdiction - the BBNJ Agreement - was agreed on 5 March. It will be adopted by the Intergovernmental Conference at a further meeting, later this year. This is a landmark agreement for biodiversity and will mean much greater protection for over 60% of the global ocean.
The UK will work to ratify the Agreement as soon as possible, and work with global partners to ensure it is implemented quickly and effectively.
The UK uses its engagement in Regional Fisheries Management Organisations and other international forums to push for outcomes focused on managing fisheries sustainably, protecting marine ecosystems (including through Marine Protected Areas) and combatting illegal fishing.
Asked by: Peter Aldous (Conservative - Waveney)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 28 September 2022 to Question 49115 on Fisheries: Quotas, if he will publish the UK’s position for all Total Allowable Catches after the completion of negotiations.
Answered by Mark Spencer - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
As in previous years, HM Government will publish the agreed written records of the negotiations upon their completion.
Asked by: Peter Aldous (Conservative - Waveney)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 28 September 2022 to Question 49115 on Fisheries: Quotas, if he will set catch limits below those recommended in scientific advice for stocks where vulnerable stocks are caught as bycatch.
Answered by Mark Spencer - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The United Kingdom advocates an approach towards setting Total Allowable Catches (TACs) which is founded on the best available scientific advice and that will maintain or rebuild sustainable fish stocks and fisheries. For a number of target stocks a further key consideration when setting the TACs is their interaction with other stocks caught in the same mixed fishery. Therefore, we recognise the need to minimise unwanted bycatch and maintain stocks at sustainable levels.
Asked by: Peter Aldous (Conservative - Waveney)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 28 September 2022 to Question 49115 on Fisheries: Quotas, if he will take steps to ensure that his Department does not set Total Allowable Catches limits which are in excess of those founded on available scientific advice.
Answered by Mark Spencer - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The United Kingdom advocates an approach towards setting Total Allowable Catches (TACs) which is founded on the best available scientific advice and that will maintain or rebuild sustainable fish stocks and fisheries. For a number of target stocks a further key consideration when setting the TACs is their interaction with other stocks caught in the same mixed fishery. Therefore, we recognise the need to minimise unwanted bycatch and maintain stocks at sustainable levels.
Asked by: Peter Aldous (Conservative - Waveney)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if the Government will commit to setting fishing quotas for target stocks at a level which prevents accidental catches of bycatch species exceeding sustainable limits.
Answered by Mark Spencer - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The United Kingdom advocates an approach towards setting Total Allowable Catches (TACs) which is founded on the best available scientific advice and that will maintain or rebuild sustainable fish stocks and fisheries. For a number of target stocks, a further key consideration when setting the TACs is their interaction with other stocks caught in the same mixed fishery. Consequently, we recognise the need to minimise unwanted bycatch and maintain stocks at sustainable levels.