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 to maintain a sustainable level of brown crab numbers in the South West.

The recently published 2017 crab stock assessment shows that the Western English Channel brown crab stock size has remained unchanged since the last assessment in 2014, with exploitation levels close to the levels required for maximum sustainable yield.

There are a number of control measures in place at European, national and local level which are summarised in this stock status report. The assessment indicates that the South West brown crab fishery is being managed sustainably. The next assessment should take place in 2019.

The 2017 Edible Crab Stock Status Report can be found at https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/722904/Cefas_Crab_Stock_Assessment_2017.pdf.