§ Mr. Laurence RobertsonTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) if he will make a statement on the condition of inshore fisheries; [146607]
(2) what plans he has to protect the condition of the coastal waters surrounding the UK; and if he will make a statement. [146614]
§ Mr. Morley[holding answer 23 January 2001]The Government remain firmly committed to achieving more sustainable fisheries management and continue to encourage the European Commission to take greater account of environmental considerations in the management of the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP). Improved integration of environmental objectives and the development of the precautionary approach within fisheries management is a UK priority for the 2002 review of the CFP. This should help to further the sustainable management of fish stocks at Community level.
We are also continuing to pursue a range of measures designed to improve the state of fish stocks around our coasts. These include limitations on the quantities of fish that may be taken and the use of closed areas in which fishing is prohibited or severely restricted, in order to protect juvenile or spawning stocks. Since 1 January 2000, improved conservation measures have applied throughout the EU. These set more relevant minimum landing sizes for the key commercial fish species, enhance gear selectivity and simplify the catch composition rules. Together this should help to reduce discarding.
Under the CFP there is no access for foreign vessels within six miles of EU member states coastlines. Within the 6–12 mile zone, access for foreign vessels is restricted on the basis of historical access rights. The 6 and 12 mile access restrictions operate by derogation from the principle of free access to a Community resource. I am confident that this derogation which is due to expire on 31 December 2002 will be maintained in the forthcoming Review of the CFF. For my part, I shall want to argue then for these access restrictions to be made permanent.