§ Mr. MossTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) what plans he has to alter the boundaries between the English fishing zones and those for(a) Scotland and (b) Wales; [114893]
(2) what reserved rights fishermen from England have to operate in United Kingdom fishing zones controlled and managed by the (a) Scottish Parliament and (b) National Assembly for Wales; [114891]
(3) if he will list the responsibilities of (a) his Department and (b) the devolved Executives in respect of the delineation of fisheries zones in United Kingdom waters; and if he will make a statement. [114892]
§ Mr. MorleyThe licensing arrangements put in place following devolution leave unchanged the rights of all UK fishermen to fish throughout British Fishery Limits.
The Scottish Zone of British Fishery Limits was established by the Scottish Adjacent Waters Boundaries Order 1999 [SI 1999/1126] made under the provisions of Section 126(2) of the Scotland Act 1998. There is no Welsh zone, but as a result of the Government of Wales Act 1998 and the National Assembly for Wales (Transfer of Functions) Order 1999 [SI 1999/672] the National Assembly has devolved responsibility for fisheries matters in Wales out to the limit of adjoining territorial waters.
There are no plans to change these arrangements.