§ Mr. WatersonTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what assessment his Department has made recently of the state of fish stocks within UK coastal waters; and if he will make a statement. [45514]
§ Mr. MorleyThe MAFF Executive Agency, the Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science (CEFAS), is responsible for monitoring and assessing the level of the Blackwater herring stock, which occurs wholly within UK territorial waters, and provides advice to the Department each year on the total allowable catch (TAC) and other management measures.
In addition, CEFAS routinely monitors the level of 31 fish stocks occurring inside and outside UK waters and provides detailed advice on their size composition to the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES), which is responsible for preparing scientific advice on the level of fishing that stocks can sustain.