PARLIAMENTARY WRITTEN QUESTION
Fisheries: Environment Protection (22 June 2020)

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the effect on the marine environment of supertrawlers fishing in UK waters; and if he will make a statement.

Asked by:
Ed Davey (Liberal Democrat)

No specific assessments have been made of the impact of large trawlers on the marine environment. However, the impact of all fishing activities is taken into account when we assess the status of UK seas and set targets to achieve Good Environmental Status under the UK Marine Strategy. Assessments carried out for the 2019 UK Marine Strategy Part One showed that commercial fishing is one of the predominant pressures preventing good environmental status of UK seas from being achieved. At the end of the transition period, any access by non-UK vessels to fish in UK waters will be a matter for negotiation. Any vessels granted access to fish in our waters, regardless of nationality, will need to abide by UK rules including those on sustainability.

Answered by:
Victoria Prentis (Conservative)
30 June 2020