Key Facts

• The statement addresses procedural matters for a Fisheries Bill Committee meeting.
• Colleagues are reminded to respect social distancing guidelines.
• Members are allowed to remove their jackets if they wish.
• The amendment would require sea fishing licences to prohibit electric pulse beam trawl fishing.
• A statutory instrument passed last year prohibits foreign fishing boats from using electric current in UK waters.
• Four English-registered vessels and one Scottish vessel are authorised to use electro-pulse gear, with authorisations set to be withdrawn or reviewed.
• Amendment 101 seeks to include conditions on sea fishing licences prohibiting boats over 100 meters from operating in marine protected areas.
• A supertrawler previously flying a foreign flag has recently been reflagged under British jurisdiction, adding complexity to the issue.
• Greenpeace reported that supertrawlers spent 5,500 hours fishing in UK marine protected areas between January and June 2020.
• The amendment seeks to ban supertrawlers over 100 metres through licence conditions.
• Paragraphs 7(1) and 7(3) of schedule 3 relate to regulations about licensing functions and charges, respectively.
• Prentis argues that the negative procedure is appropriate for these technical matters.
• Schedule 4 repeals the current regime managing access of foreign fishing boats through designation orders.
• Amendments ensure that these regimes are also repealed in the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man with their agreement.
• Amendment introduces a temporary foreign vessel licence for up to three weeks.
• The amendments enable UK fishing administrations to issue licences to foreign vessels in a shortened timespan as a contingency measure.
• The preferred system involves exchanging lists of vessels between licensing authorities, which would be processed by the Marine Management Organisation (MMO).
• Current conditions require UK boats to carry hard copies of their licences on board, while amendments may permit electronic versions for foreign boats.
• The amendments aim to grant temporary foreign vessel licences through electronic communication.
• The licences will be published on the websites of Welsh, Scottish Ministers or Marine Management Organisation.
• Authorities such as the European Commission or country-specific regulatory bodies will receive these communications electronically.
• Amendment 111 seeks to replace “may determine” with “must determine” in clause 24.
• The amendment pertains to setting maximum quantities of sea fish that may be caught and the days fishing boats can spend at sea.
• It aims to make the process an affirmative one instead of a negative one.
• Amendment 114 would prevent the Secretary of State from making a determination of effort quota until a trial proves its non-harmful impact.
• The trial would cover relevant areas of sea, stocks fished, fishing methods used, documentation methods and any other relevant considerations.
• Fish stocks are described as a finite resource with estimates suggesting restoration could lead to £244 million a year for the industry and create more than 5,000 jobs.
• Amendment calls for baseline stock assessment for non-quota species by 2030.
• Annual reports required on progress towards this goal.
• Data deficiency can lead to unsustainable fishing practices.
• Amendment would provide Secretary of State with power to determine a ‘catch, tag and release’ quota for recreational fishing.
• Recreational fishers can assist in gathering data on non-quota species appearing in UK waters since 2015.
• Bluefin tuna have returned as seasonal visitors to UK waters.
• Amendment 118 calls for the Secretary of State to state what scientific advice was used when making or withdrawing a determination under section 24.
• The amendments aim to restore public trust in fisheries management by involving coastal communities and increasing transparency.
• Amendment 119 seeks to remove historical catch levels from the basis of distributing fishing opportunities.
• The new system aims to prioritize environmental and local economic criteria over historical catch levels.
• In 2016, UK small-scale fleets landed 11% of fish by value but employed nearly half of all fishers.
• The amendment calls for redistribution based on social, environmental and local economic criteria.
• Labour's amendments aim to redistribute a small proportion of opportunities to under-10 metre fishing fleet.
• Redistribution would create more jobs in coastal communities.
• The consultation must take socioeconomic factors into account.
• The consultation must consider the use of boats that are chartered for recreational fishing.
• Amendment 82 recognises the economic impact of recreational fishing.
• New clause 2 would require consultation on financial assistance for promoting recreational fishing.
• Recreational fishing contributes £1.5 billion to £2 billion annually and supports about 15,000 jobs in the UK.
• The Government agrees with the intention behind Clause 27 but disagrees with its implementation.
• New entrants may refer to new boat owners, skippers, or crew members and have different needs.
• Fishing requires significant capital investment, and an average under-10 metre boat costs a lot.
• Labour opposes removing clause 27 and supports the Blue Marine Foundation's campaign for quota reform.
• 50% of English fishing quotas are held by overseas companies.
• The small-scale fleet holds only 6% of the UK fishing quota.
• Four out of five largest quota holders appear on the Sunday Times rich list.
• Clause 27 seeks to redistribute quota allocations to benefit smaller fishers and coastal communities.
• The discussion has moved from detailed amendments to quicker progress through clauses and schedules.