Key Facts

• The seafood sector employs about 33,000 people across the UK.
• The UK fleet receives just 10% of the overall quota for Celtic sea haddock but should receive around 50% based on zonal attachment analysis.
• The Bill provides powers to exclude foreign super-trawlers through licence conditions.
• The Bill includes clauses ending automatic access to UK waters for EU vessels.
• Clauses propose powers to introduce technical measures for fisheries and aquatic animal health.
• Grant payments will be made available to fishermen to invest in gear that enables more selective fishing.
• Six-minute contribution limit for non-Front-Bench MPs.
• The time limit may be reduced further during the debate.
• Fishing matters greatly to Plymouth with 1,000 jobs in the city.
• Recreational fishing is larger than commercial fishing in GDP terms.
• UK imports two thirds and exports two thirds of fish trade.
• The Bill is described as a framework that centralizes powers with the Secretary of State.
• Labour’s jobs in coastal communities amendment proposes a new national landing requirement where two-thirds of fish caught under UK quota must be landed in UK ports, potentially creating more jobs.
• Small boat fleets have 6% of quota but provide two-thirds of jobs; reallocation of even 1-2% of total catch could increase what small boats can catch by 25%.
• Progress is being made towards making fishing safer but much work still needs to be done.
• Fishers should wear lifejackets with personal locator beacons standard.
• Remote vessel monitoring and CCTV will help ensure compliance with the law.
• Foreign boats in UK waters should adhere to the same safety standards as UK boats.
• Labour proposes a phased draw-down period for quota reallocation rather than rushing it.
• Not all British fishers fish in British waters, preserving access to distant waters is necessary.
• The new fisheries agreement was meant to be concluded by 1 July but is two months late.
• The Fisheries Bill will give Ministers and devolved Administrations power over fishing policy after more than 45 years of EU control.
• In 2015, EU vessels caught 683,000 tonnes in UK waters compared to only 111,000 tonnes by UK vessels in EU member states’ waters.
• About 70% of fish and 85% of shellfish caught in the UK is exported to EU countries, but the same amount is imported from non-EU sources.
• The Fisheries Bill comes from the unelected House of Lords.
• Lord Hain stated that no EU agreement by the end of 2020 means UNCLOS governs access to UK waters.
• Historical access for foreign fleets will be part of the new framework post-Brexit.
• The Bill does not provide a genuine framework.
• There are major concerns about how quotas will be divided among four nations.
• The UK Government will act as both poacher and gamekeeper in fisheries decisions.
• Sheryll Murray has 25 years of experience in fishing.
• The Bill aims to ensure sustainable management of UK waters for future generations.
• Clause 18 on national landing requirement must be removed to avoid denying the industry economic benefits.
• Remote electronic monitoring is not required if a flexible and adaptive fisheries management plan can be designed collaboratively.
• Merchant Navy Day is being observed.
• The Gaul sank on February 8 and 9, 1974 with a loss of 36 lives, described as the worst single-trawler tragedy.
• Six men from North Tyneside were among those lost in the Gaul tragedy.
• Under-10-metre boats currently receive around 6% of quota.
• For every job in the catching sector, there are approximately nine jobs on land.
• The protection jetty at North Shields is being repaired using European fisheries fund money.
• Fishing communities need investment for repair and regeneration.
• Nye Bevan famously stated, 'This island is made mainly of coal and surrounded by fish.'
• The UK's departure from the EU will create opportunities for UK fishermen.
• No one could argue against the benefits of Brexit for fishermen, according to Goodwill.
• Ted Heath's decision to join the European Union was influenced by British fishing interests in Icelandic waters at the time.
• Fish stocks do not respect 200-mile exclusive economic zones and need sustainable catch agreements between the UK and EU.
• The Bill underpins the sustainability of UK seas.
• Seven years ago, campaigners called for redistribution of UK fishing quotas to support smaller fleets.
• Four major quota holders are owned by families listed on The Sunday Times rich list.
• Foreign-owned companies control 50% of the English fishing quota.
• Six fishers lost their lives in fishing accidents last year.
• Coastal communities need investment, regeneration, and better transport links.
• Smaller vessels are often family-run firms vital to UK fishing industry.
• Fishers feel abandoned by successive Governments due to prioritization of big commercial producers.
• 80% of fish is usually exported, but the COVID-19 crisis disrupted exports.
• Kent's Operation Lorry Park scheme may threaten fresh seafood supply.
• The Marine Conservation Society supports Labour’s sustainability amendments.
• UK currently fails 11 out of 15 indicators under the marine strategy.
• Fisheries Bill facilitates local fisheries management.
• North Cornwall coast has unique stock conditions different from other parts of the UK.
• The Bill opposes electronic pulse fishing methods.
• Marine protected areas will support seagrasses for carbon reduction goals.
• The Scottish Fishermen’s Federation believes the Fisheries Bill offers a once-in-a-generation chance for UK fishermen.
• Fergus Ewing, the SNP Minister, recommends legislative consent in the Scottish Parliament but SNP Members oppose the Bill's Second Reading.
• The speaker advocates that voting against the Bill would hinder Scottish fishermen and coastal communities.
• This is the sixth Parliament with a fisheries Bill.
• The Scottish nationalists have tabled a reasoned amendment, which is regrettable.
• The fishing industry would benefit from proper visa policies for non-EEA nationals.
• There are concerns about safety incidents involving foreign vessels threatening UK boats.
• Gill-netters contribute significantly to plastic pollution in the seas.
• Overfishing quotas are set above scientifically recommended sustainable levels.
• Restoring fish populations would lead to £244 million a year for the industry and create more than 5,000 jobs.
• Less than 1% of journeys conducted by UK fishing fleets are monitored.
• Supertrawlers spent nearly 3,000 hours fishing in UK marine protected areas in 2019.
• In the first six months of this year, supertrawler operations had reached 5,590 hours.
• Taking back control of UK waters was a reason for supporting Brexit.
• Amendments passed in the Lords change the fisheries objectives in clause 1.
• The National Federation of Fishermen’s Organisations warned that these amendments could create a more rigid system worse than the CFP.
• Local firms like Lynn Shellfish and John Lake Shellfish operate with about 70 vessels along the coast, contributing to the local economy.
• There are concerns over regulatory plans for a new shrimp permit by-law without recognition of historical track records.
• The Wash fishery order expires in 2022 and there are no plans for extension.
• Powers exist within the Bill to license foreign vessels in UK waters and tackle supertrawlers.
• An apprenticeship scheme is proposed to replenish retiring fishermen over five to ten years.
• Only 9% of the fish and shellfish caught in Welsh waters are landed by Welsh vessels.
• Under-10 metre vessels make up around 95% of the Welsh fishing fleet.
• The Bill fails to address the variability of catches due to climate change.
• The size of the Scottish fishing fleet has declined from 800 to 400 boats between 1992 and 2004.
• EU vessels fish six times more in UK waters than UK vessels fish in EU waters.
• The Fisheries Bill establishes UK-wide fisheries objectives and a joint fisheries statement setting out policies to achieve these objectives.
• Fleetwood voted to leave the European Union hoping for a revival of the fishing industry.
• The “jobs in coastal communities” clause passed in the Lords mandates that two thirds of UK-caught fish be landed in UK ports, creating up to 76 jobs with every £1 million of fish landed.
• Greenpeace revealed that supertrawlers spent 5,500 hours fishing in protected marine areas this year.
• Fishers in under-10 metre boats represent 79% of the fleet but hold only 2% of the quota.
• Brixham is the most valuable port in England.
• There has been a 29% decline in the fleet since 1996 and a 60% decline in fish landed in the UK since 1973.
• The Government supports fishermen through various funds such as the seafood innovation fund, maritime and fisheries fund, covid fisheries fund, fisheries response fund, and domestic seafood supply scheme.
• The Fisheries Bill aims to create a sustainable future for UK fisheries post-Brexit.
• Local fishing industries, such as those in Northern Ireland and Wales, are highlighted for their unique characteristics.
• The Bill grants equal access for all UK vessels to fish throughout UK waters.
• The Fisheries Bill is the first of its kind since 1973.
• It aims to prevent over-fishing by relinquishing the EU common fisheries policy.
• Enforcement may require actions like fines, impounding assets, or even military intervention.
• Concerns are raised about managing British waters around overseas territories such as Gibraltar and Cyprus.
• Super trawlers spent nearly 3,000 hours fishing in UK MPAs in 2019.
• Greenpeace reported that super trawlers increased their fishing in UK MPAs during the covid-19 lockdown.
• The Bill lacks detail on banning industrial super trawlers from UK MPAs and supporting greener technologies.
• The Fisheries Bill is crucial for Scotland with 62% of UK waters and 64% of UK catch being in Scottish hands.
• Constituents in Angus primarily fish for crab and lobster using creels, unencumbered by foreign boats or quotas.
• Scotland receives €108 million from the European maritime and fisheries fund.
• The area within the UK’s 12-mile limit should be an exclusive zone limited to UK fishing vessels only.
• Small boats have less impact on the marine ecosystem compared to large boats.
• Quotas need to ensure fair opportunities for those who actually fish.
• The Fisheries Bill will restore UK's position as an independent coastal state.
• The bill aims to end automatic access of EU vessels to British waters.
• It will protect biodiversity in some of the richest seas globally.
• There are concerns about foreign trawlers overfishing British waters.
• 12,000 fishermen play a vital role in UK food supply chains.
• The EU common fisheries policy has constrained UK fishermen for 40 years.
• The number of working fishermen in the UK fell by 40% since the mid-1990s.
• The Margiris, a supertrawler capable of catching 250 tonnes of fish a day, was trawling UK waters.
• More than 92% of Scottish fishermen believe leaving the EU and the common fisheries policy is beneficial.
• Northern Ireland has called for remote electronic monitoring to address concerns over non-UK flagged vessels landing in foreign ports.
• The Fisheries Bill aims to revive the Lowestoft and East Anglian fishing industry.
• No East Anglian representative is on the project board for the inshore fisheries project.
• A workshop for low-impact vessels has not yet taken place in the region.
• Powerful companies may resist changes, but the status quo must be unacceptable post-Brexit.
• The Blue Marine Foundation calls for reform of the current fixed-quota allocation system.
• The Government are consulting on the distribution of additional quota before 1 January.
• Leigh-on-Sea fishermen have been waiting for real benefits from leaving the EU.
• Small under-10-metre vessels have been badly treated for too long.
• Councillor Paul Gilson believes a management team for each fishery area would be valuable.
• Illegal harvesting of shellfish has caused issues in Southend’s coastline.
• More independent scientific surveys are needed to improve sustainability.
• The quota system needs reforming to rectify previous inequalities.
• Local fishermen have successfully promoted local fish through social media and advertising during the pandemic.
• Fishing is worth between £6 billion and £8 billion.
• The UK will become an independent coastal state from 2021.
• Labour Members aim to land more UK fish caught in UK waters in UK ports.
• Small fishers represent 79% of the UK fishing fleet but hold only 2% of the quota.
• Commercial fishing is the most dangerous peacetime occupation in the UK.
• The Fisheries Bill is a framework Bill providing powers regardless of negotiation outcomes.
• It includes collaboration with devolved Administrations, giving them more management powers than ever before.
• Funding for fisheries across the UK’s nations will be maintained throughout Parliament as per manifesto commitment.
• New domestic funding schemes allow for port development and training.
• Tourism in coastal communities has been supported over the summer.
• The House divided with Ayes 49, Noes 326.
• Question agreed to for the Bill being read a Second time.