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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to support the fishing industry following recent changes to the EU regulations for UK vessels operating in EU waters.

The changes to the EU Control Regulation apply to all vessels fishing in EU waters including those of EU member states and the UK. All UK vessels licensed to fish in EU waters have been notified of the impending changes and further detail and guidance on their interpretation has been issued, along with contact details should vessel owners and operators have further queries. We continue to engage with the Commission to clarify points of the legislation and will issue further guidance on these points as it becomes available. In the meantime, we have engaged with individual member states to push for a pragmatic approach to enforcement while UK vessels adapt to the new regulations.