Asked by: Marquess of Lothian (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the plans by the Environment Agency to oxygenate England's rivers in the event of a heatwave, what other action they intend to take to protect river fish in England; and in particular, what action they plan to take to improve the resilience of rivers in England in the face of climate change and to address poor water quality, pollution, over abstractions and low flows, which the Angling Trust say are also responsible for the rise in ‘fish kill’ incidents.
Answered by Lord Benyon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The third National Adaptation Programme, due to be published later this year, will set out the government's approach to addressing the 61 risks and opportunities identified in the third Climate Change Risk Assessment. This includes risks to freshwater habitats and species, like river fishes, from changing climatic conditions and extreme events. It will include actions to support the resilience of our freshwater, such as those we have committed to in the Government’s Plan for Water, Environmental Improvement Plan and River Basin Management Plans (RBMPs).
The actions in the Plan for Water are directed towards addressing poor water quality, pollution, over abstractions and low flows and will provide a basis for planning our longer- term response to mitigate climate impacts. The River Basin Management Plans, produced by the Environment Agency, and supporting catchment plans aim to mitigate climate change impacts by restoring the integrity and resilience of natural systems. As well as action on water quality, pollution and low flow, they include actions such as restoring habitats, improving river connectivity by removing barriers to fish migration and the Keeping Rivers Cool project (copy attached), to reduce fishes’ exposure to increasing temperatures.
Asked by: Lord Carlile of Berriew (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to secure the salmonoid and coarse fish stocks in England and Wales against predation by cormorants and goosanders; and what consideration they have given to amending the Salmon and Freshwater Fisheries Act 1975 for this purpose.
Answered by Lord Benyon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
This is a devolved matter and the information provided therefore relates to England only.
The Government recognises the impact that fish-eating birds, such as cormorants and goosanders, can have on fish populations. Currently, Natural England can grant licences to shoot a limited number of cormorants and goosanders to prevent serious damage to inland fisheries, where it can be shown that non-lethal measures are failing to manage predation. In the case of cormorants, up to 3000 birds may be licensed to be shot each year. To improve the effectiveness of both non-lethal and lethal measures, Natural England encourages fisheries within the same river-catchment area to cooperate as part of an area-based licensing scheme.
The Environment Agency also supports the employment of Fishery Management Advisers, who provide practical support to angling clubs and fisheries about protecting fish from cormorants and goosanders.
Working together, Natural England and the Environment Agency help fisheries effectively manage predation problems without irreversibly harming the conservation status of these species.
The Wildlife & Countryside Act 1981 (as amended) continues to be effective at providing licensing functions to permit the control of piscivorous birds to protect fisheries and in that regard the Government has no plans to amend the Salmon and Freshwater Fisheries Act 1975.
Asked by: Virginia Crosbie (Conservative - Ynys Môn)
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 potential merits for anglers of maintaining the Environmental Information Regulations 2004.
Answered by Mark Spencer - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Defra is in the process of analysing and assessing its retained EU law stock to determine what should be preserved as part of domestic law, and what should be repealed, or amended. This work will determine how we use the powers in the Retained EU Law (Revocation and Reform) Bill, including in relation to the Environmental Information Regulations 2004.
Asked by: Emily Thornberry (Labour - Islington South and Finsbury)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to her Department’s publication of spending over £500 with a Government procurement card, at which Hilton hotel did the Environment Agency conduct conflict resolution training for members of the Voluntary Bailiff Service in December 2021; and for what reason was that training required.
Answered by Rebecca Pow - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
This payment was for venue hire, accommodation and subsistence for the training of nine delegates from the Voluntary Bailiff Service (Phase 2), a pilot partnership project between the Angling Trust and Environment Agency. This health and safety training was a two-day (27 and 28 Nov 2021) conflict resolution course, which the Environment Agency requires volunteers to attend and pass as part of its commitment to helping staff stay safe whilst rod licence and byelaw compliance checking. Health and safety training is key for this role, but this is not something the Environment Agency can deliver in-house.
The Environment Agency has a contract with Calders to procure venues for meetings and training. The training took place at Double Tree by Hilton, Dartford Bridge, Masthead Close, Crossways Business Park, Dartford, Kent, DA2 6QF. Out of three suitable venues identified by Calders in the locality specified, this venue came in as the second most competitive option. The most competitive location had become unavailable after the original booking due to an electrical fault.
Asked by: Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi (Labour - Slough)
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 help ensure work tackling invasive non-native species is receiving adequate (a) priority and (b) public funding.
Answered by Steve Double
Our approach is set by the 2015 GB Invasive Non-Native Species Strategy, which ensures coordinated action across Great Britain. This strategy follows internationally recognised principles and priorities of prevention, rapid eradication and management, which we are committed to continuing. We are currently updating this, and the refreshed strategy will support the prioritisation and resourcing of our efforts over the next few years.
To reduce and prevent the introduction and establishment of invasive non-native species (INNS) we have prioritised five pathways of introduction and developed Pathway Action Plans (PAPs) for angling, recreational boating and zoos and aquaria sectors. Two further horticultural PAPs are in progress, and Defra expects to complete all the PAPs by the end of 2022. The PAPs allow the Government to set out actions that will prevent or minimise the risk of spread of INNS via certain pathways. The Angling PAP, for example, led to the refresh of the 'Check, Clean, Dry' campaign, which has been strengthened through new collaborative initiatives with stakeholders such as the Aquatic Biosecurity Partnership with water companies. The Government also continues to fund the non-native species information portal, including its alert system which has played a key role in preventing the establishment of Asian hornet in the UK, and horizon scanning exercises which allow us to understand the potential of future threats.
We have put in place the Invasive Alien Species Order, which gives us strong legislative tools, to tackle the threat of 66 species of special concern, including effective enforcement at the UK border. We are funding the establishment of a new NNS Inspectorate to bring the management of NNS in line with other biosecurity regimes. The Government funds strategic research, such as for biocontrol agents for a range of invasive non-native plants including a weevil which will eat floating pennywort, and fertility control of grey squirrels.
We are also controlling and eradicating species through continuing to support the network of local action groups (LAGs) to facilitate strategic action at a local scale, making the most of the invaluable work that LAGs do. This includes a recently launched fund to support LAGs carrying out essential work over the next three years.
Asked by: Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi (Labour - Slough)
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 (a) control and (b) eradicate invasive non-native species.
Answered by Steve Double
Our approach is set by the 2015 GB Invasive Non-Native Species Strategy, which ensures coordinated action across Great Britain. This strategy follows internationally recognised principles and priorities of prevention, rapid eradication and management, which we are committed to continuing. We are currently updating this, and the refreshed strategy will support the prioritisation and resourcing of our efforts over the next few years.
To reduce and prevent the introduction and establishment of invasive non-native species (INNS) we have prioritised five pathways of introduction and developed Pathway Action Plans (PAPs) for angling, recreational boating and zoos and aquaria sectors. Two further horticultural PAPs are in progress, and Defra expects to complete all the PAPs by the end of 2022. The PAPs allow the Government to set out actions that will prevent or minimise the risk of spread of INNS via certain pathways. The Angling PAP, for example, led to the refresh of the 'Check, Clean, Dry' campaign, which has been strengthened through new collaborative initiatives with stakeholders such as the Aquatic Biosecurity Partnership with water companies. The Government also continues to fund the non-native species information portal, including its alert system which has played a key role in preventing the establishment of Asian hornet in the UK, and horizon scanning exercises which allow us to understand the potential of future threats.
We have put in place the Invasive Alien Species Order, which gives us strong legislative tools, to tackle the threat of 66 species of special concern, including effective enforcement at the UK border. We are funding the establishment of a new NNS Inspectorate to bring the management of NNS in line with other biosecurity regimes. The Government funds strategic research, such as for biocontrol agents for a range of invasive non-native plants including a weevil which will eat floating pennywort, and fertility control of grey squirrels.
We are also controlling and eradicating species through continuing to support the network of local action groups (LAGs) to facilitate strategic action at a local scale, making the most of the invaluable work that LAGs do. This includes a recently launched fund to support LAGs carrying out essential work over the next three years.
Asked by: Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi (Labour - Slough)
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 (a) reduce the rate of and (b) prevent the introduction and establishment of invasive non-native species.
Answered by Steve Double
Our approach is set by the 2015 GB Invasive Non-Native Species Strategy, which ensures coordinated action across Great Britain. This strategy follows internationally recognised principles and priorities of prevention, rapid eradication and management, which we are committed to continuing. We are currently updating this, and the refreshed strategy will support the prioritisation and resourcing of our efforts over the next few years.
To reduce and prevent the introduction and establishment of invasive non-native species (INNS) we have prioritised five pathways of introduction and developed Pathway Action Plans (PAPs) for angling, recreational boating and zoos and aquaria sectors. Two further horticultural PAPs are in progress, and Defra expects to complete all the PAPs by the end of 2022. The PAPs allow the Government to set out actions that will prevent or minimise the risk of spread of INNS via certain pathways. The Angling PAP, for example, led to the refresh of the 'Check, Clean, Dry' campaign, which has been strengthened through new collaborative initiatives with stakeholders such as the Aquatic Biosecurity Partnership with water companies. The Government also continues to fund the non-native species information portal, including its alert system which has played a key role in preventing the establishment of Asian hornet in the UK, and horizon scanning exercises which allow us to understand the potential of future threats.
We have put in place the Invasive Alien Species Order, which gives us strong legislative tools, to tackle the threat of 66 species of special concern, including effective enforcement at the UK border. We are funding the establishment of a new NNS Inspectorate to bring the management of NNS in line with other biosecurity regimes. The Government funds strategic research, such as for biocontrol agents for a range of invasive non-native plants including a weevil which will eat floating pennywort, and fertility control of grey squirrels.
We are also controlling and eradicating species through continuing to support the network of local action groups (LAGs) to facilitate strategic action at a local scale, making the most of the invaluable work that LAGs do. This includes a recently launched fund to support LAGs carrying out essential work over the next three years.
Asked by: Paul Girvan (Democratic Unionist Party - South Antrim)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of (a) allocating a share of publicly-owned fishery to recreational sea anglers and (b) setting aside an area within 0 to 3 miles from commercial exploitation for those anglers.
Answered by Victoria Prentis - Attorney General
Regarding (a) in England, recreational sea angling is unlicensed and therefore anglers are not subject to quota allocations.
The value of recreational sea angling is recognised in England via the inclusion of ‘recreational sea fishing’ in the Fisheries Act 2020. The Act contains a requirement to develop fisheries management plans, ensuring the integration of recreational sea angling into wider fisheries management.
Regarding (b) there is no proposal to set aside specific areas for recreational sea angling. However, consultation on a number of potential Highly Protected Marine Areas (HPMAs) in English waters is planned for this spring. As part of this work, we will continue to work with recreational fishers to explore opportunities for recreational or low impact zones around HPMAs.
Asked by: Desmond Swayne (Conservative - New Forest West)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether he has received representations on the establishment of a recreational sea angling live release fishery for bluefin tuna; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Victoria Prentis - Attorney General
Yes, Defra has received such representations. We continue to work closely with stakeholders, regulators (the Marine Management Organisation, and Inshore Fisheries Conservation Authorities) and scientists, to explore whether it would be possible to support a recreational scientific bluefin tuna research, catch and release tagging programme in English waters.
The Trade and Cooperation Agreement reached with the EU secures the UK a share of the EU’s current bluefin tuna allocation. No decisions have yet been taken on how to use the UK’s new national quota. Stakeholders will be consulted on potential options in due course.
Asked by: Dan Jarvis (Labour - Barnsley Central)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, whether fishing clubs located on private land can continue to operate under Tier 3 of the public health restrictions which come into effect on 2 December 2020.
Answered by Nigel Huddleston - Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)
Sports and physical activity are incredibly important for our physical and mental health, and are a vital weapon against coronavirus. That’s why we made sure that people could exercise at least once a day even during the height of the first period of enhanced national restrictions and why we opened up grassroots sport and leisure facilities as soon as it was safe to do so.
Organised outdoor sport is exempt from legal gathering limits across all levels. This means that organised outdoor team sport and outdoor exercise classes, as well as outdoor licensed physical activity, can happen with any number of participants, as long as undertaken in line with published COVID-secure guidance. This includes fishing clubs located on private land.