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 ensure that discard free fisheries are achieved under the provisions of (a) the current discard ban and (b) after the UK leaves the EU.

The UK continues to participate in the North Sea and North Western Waters regional groups on the phased implementation of the EU Landing Obligation which will be fully implemented from 1 January 2019. After the UK leaves the EU, Defra will continue to work with our industry and others to ensure that we operate a discard policy that reflects our mixed fisheries.