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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she is taking to increase prosecution rates for gangs taking part in illegal fishing along the UK coastline.

Defra works closely with the Marine Management Organisation, Inshore Fisheries and Conservation Authorities, and other organisations to make sure the appropriate arrangements to enforce fisheries regulations are in place to protect English waters. In response to concerns about the targeting of bass in the South West, MMO has stepped up routine compliance and assurance checks. We vehemently condemn any illegal fishing taking place in English waters and work actively with the Joint Maritime Security Centre to provide fisheries enforcement input and share resources such as data and assets in partnership with other departments and agencies with a maritime security remit.