White Fish: Conservation

(asked on 10th October 2014) - View Source

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 progress made by the European Commission on steps to sustainably manage bass stocks using technical conservation measures; and if she will make a statement.


Answered by
George Eustice Portrait
George Eustice
This question was answered on 17th October 2014

As a result of discussions facilitated by the European Commission, there is now a consensus amongst interested Member States to significantly reduce targeting of bass across all sectors exploiting that stock. The Commission has also requested advice from the North Sea, North Western Waters and South West Waters Advisory Councils on the appropriate short term measures to apply in 2015, and the development of a long term management plan. We expect EU bass management proposals to be published before the end of the year.

The UK Government will continue to push for effective EU-wide conservation measures that will ensure the stock recovers and becomes sustainable by working with the Commission and interested Member States. We will consider the need for any further domestic management of bass in the light of these European discussions.

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