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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of requiring remote electronic monitoring systems on all pelagic freezer trawlers of 100 meters or more operating in English waters, including EU-flagged vessels.

Defra has laid out plans to implement REM in five priority fisheries in English waters, including pelagic trawls, over 24m, operating in English waters. This fishery includes pelagic freezer trawlers over 100m.

The fisheries were selected via an evidence review. The pelagic fishery was selected as a priority fishery for REM, based on an assessment of:

• Data needs (and suitability of REM as a tool to address these needs)
• Achievability of setting up initial programmes

Once REM becomes a statutory requirement, all vessels, including EU-flagged vessels, active in the fishery will be required to have REM on board.