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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of the effect on the fishing industry of the covid-19 outbreak.

The closure of export markets, and the domestic hospitality sector, has affected the fishing sector. This is evidenced in statistics published by the Marine Management Organisation (MMO) on fishing activity in April, the first full month of lockdown in the UK. These statistics show that landings by UK vessels in April 2020 were down by 35% compared to a year ago. The value of these landings was down more steeply by 54%. The MMO has published statistics for March and April. The MMO's ad hoc COVID-19 impact statistics will be published monthly, on the final Tuesday of the subsequent month, while the impact of the pandemic on fisheries continues to be acute.