§ Lord Stoddart of Swindonasked Her Majesty's Government:
Further to the Answer given to Lord Williams of Elvel on 4 November (WA282) on the outcome of the European Fisheries Council of 30 October, whether they will specify how the present rules on discarding will change, and when the new rules will come into effect.
§ The Parliamentary Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (Lord Donoughue)The present EC technical conservation regulation requires sorting of fish to be carried out immediately after nets have been hauled. The regulation requires protected species (defined in the regulation) in excess of catch composition percentages laid down to be discarded immediately into the sea. Other provisions 91WA require undersized fish, shellfish and crustaceans to be discarded immediately.
The new EC Regulation agreed at the Fisheries Council on 30 October to come into effect on 1 January 2000 alters these rules so that:
As in the present regulation, undersized specimens must be discarded immediately.
- for all vessels at all times the percentage of target species retained on board must be at least half that required by the regulation;
- in addition, for those vessels required to complete logbooks, after the first 24 hours of a trip the catch composition percentages must be correct at time of the daily completion of the logbooks;
- in all cases, the catch composition percentages must be correct at time of return to port.