Asked by: Scott Mann (Conservative - North Cornwall)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when the findings for the 2016 and 2017 Sea Angling survey will be published.
Answered by Baroness Prentis of Banbury
Publication of the Sea Angling surveys for 2016 and 2017 has been delayed due to the Government’s response to COVID 19. The findings are now due to be published in the summer of this year.
Reports for 2018 and 2019 are due to be published later in the year, and will set out estimated catches by recreational sea fishers as well as their economic contribution.
Asked by: Scott Mann (Conservative - North Cornwall)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will take steps to issue guidance for Inshore Fisheries Conservation Authorities on administering the test in relation to sea bass in s.157(2)(b) of the Marine and Coastal Access Act 2009; and if his Department will consult with Fish Legal in the development of that guidance.
Answered by Baroness Prentis of Banbury
Inshore Fisheries and Conservation Authorities (IFCAs) are independent statutory authorities, directly responsible for managing sea fisheries resources in their districts sustainably. The Secretary of State does not have a role in confirming emergency byelaws; rather, each IFCA is empowered to decide to introduce an emergency byelaw and whether it meets the qualifying criteria set out in section 157(2) of the Marine and Coastal Access Act 2009. Defra has supported the IFCAs by providing best practice guidance on IFCA byelaw-making, including emergency byelaws made under section 157, which is accessible via the GOV.UK and IFCA websites. Defra has not received further requests for clarification from the IFCAs regarding the current statutory guidance on the qualifying criteria.
Asked by: Scott Mann (Conservative - North Cornwall)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will take steps with (a) recreational fishermen and (b) Fish Legal to clarify the guidance for Inshore Fisheries Conservation Authorities on the introduction of emergency bylaws under section 157 of the Marine and Coastal Access Act 2009.
Answered by Baroness Prentis of Banbury
Inshore Fisheries Conservation Authorities (IFCAs) are independent statutory authorities and have direct responsibility to sustainably manage sea fisheries resources in their districts. Therefore, it is for each IFCA to decide whether a situation warrants an emergency byelaw and if this meets the qualifying criteria as laid down in Section 157 of the Marine and Coastal Access Act 2009. Defra has provided best practice guidance on IFCA byelaw-making, including emergency byelaws made under section 157, this is available online through GOV.UK and IFCA websites. Defra has not been approached by any IFCA to provide further statutory guidance on the aforementioned qualifying criteria.
Asked by: Scott Mann (Conservative - North Cornwall)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when the Sea Angling Survey will be published for 2020.
Answered by Baroness Prentis of Banbury
The annual UK Sea Angling Survey for 2020 is underway. The final report will be published in summer 2021.
Asked by: Scott Mann (Conservative - North Cornwall)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what representations he has received on Inshore Fisheries Conservation Authorities being unable to introduce emergency byelaws because of uncertainty on the test in s157(2) (6) Marine and Coastal Access Act 2009 which is resulting in juvenile bass being caught in nets with undersize mesh; and if he will take steps to work with Fish Legal to provide urgent clarificatory guidance for Inshore Fisheries Conservation Authorities on that matter.
Answered by Baroness Prentis of Banbury
Inshore Fisheries Conservation Authorities (IFCAs) are independent statutory authorities and have direct responsibility to manage sea fisheries resources sustainably in their districts. Therefore, it is for each IFCA to decide whether a situation warrants an emergency byelaw and if this meets the qualifying criteria as laid down in section 157 of the Marine and Coastal Access Act 2009. Defra has provided best practice guidance on IFCA byelaw-making, including emergency byelaws made under section 157, and the department has not been approached by any IFCA to provide further statutory guidance on this statutory provision.
Asked by: Scott Mann (Conservative - North Cornwall)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will publish the results of the survey conducted in 2016 by his Department and the Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science on the effect on the economy of recreational angling.
Answered by Baroness Prentis of Banbury
I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave him on 3 March, PQ UIN 22008. [www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2020-02-27/22008]
Asked by: Scott Mann (Conservative - North Cornwall)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will publish the outcome of the survey conducted in 2016 by his Department and the Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science on the effect on the economy of recreational angling.
Answered by Baroness Prentis of Banbury
The Sea Angling Diary survey (www.seaangling.org) is carried out annually, it is analysed by Cefas (www.cefas.co.uk), and combined with information from the National Water Sports Participation Survey. It is used to understand the level of participation, catches and economic impact of sea anglers resident in the UK. The findings for 2016 and 2017 have just been finalised and will be published in Spring this year.