The Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee is today
launching the next of its thematic inquiries, on fisheries and
the marine environment.
MPs will delve into the challenges facing the fishing sector,
including access to labour and competing spatial pressures on the
marine environment.
The inquiry will see
the Committee scrutinise the outcome of the Autumn 2024 fisheries
negotiations between the UK and its nearby coastal partners,
including the EU and Norway.
It will assess the implementation of post-Brexit fisheries policy
and examine UK/EU quotas and arrangements for access to waters,
and catch-allocations, from June 2026.
The Committee's inquiry will also look into the issues of marine
conservation and will investigate the management of protected
areas.
The Chair of the EFRA Committee, MP,
said:
“The fishing industry is rooted in the island and coastal
communities that help define our country. It is at the heart of
local communities and a vital part of many local economies.
“The fishing sector had hoped to see improved opportunities when
the United Kingdom left the EU. In this inquiry we will examine
the implementation of government fisheries policy since Brexit.
“There are also concerns among the fishing community about
changes from June 2026 onwards to the UK-EU arrangements for
access and catch-allocations. We will consider whether the
Government's current approach will deliver the best possible
outcomes for UK fishers.
“More widely, our inquiry will also examine the state of the
marine environment, looking at the protection of marine mammals
and seabird species.”
