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 adequacy of recent progress in meeting the UK’s formal obligations under the Agreement on the Conservation of Albatrosses and Petrels (ACAP) for the South Atlantic Overseas Territories; what the planned timetable is for publication of the consolidated ACAP implementation plans; and what steps she is taking to help ensure annual reviews of the National Plans of Action for trawl and longline fisheries are completed.

Defra works with the Joint Nature Conservation Committee (JNCC) and the Governments of the South Atlantic Overseas Territories (SAOT) to report annually on progress towards meeting UK obligations under ACAP. The SAOT ACAP implementation plans are included in the current UK ACAP work programme for review. Revised implementation plans will need to align ACAP priorities and those of the SAOTs. The timetable for publication of ACAP implementation plans will be determined by the SAOTs. Reviews of National Plans of Action for trawl and longline fisheries are the responsibility of the relevant SAOT, but Defra and JNCC are ready to assist with these as appropriate.