#MMO scrutinised by the HoC Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee

Committee Room 16 Meeting starts on Wednesday 21 January at 3pm

Work of the Committee (MMO) 2010-15

Witnesses:

Sir Bill Callaghan, Chair, 
John Tuckett, Chief Executive Officer
Andrew Beattie, Acting Chief Executive Officer, Marine Management Organisation

Latest bass news - EU Commission to adopt measures to protect sea bass stock

(19/01/2015) The European Commission has announced a package of measures aimed at averting the collapse of the declining sea bass stock. In the first instance emergency measures will be implemented to ban pelagic trawling of sea bass during spawning season which runs until the end of April.

These measures protect the stock from being targeted when at its most vulnerable; pelagic trawlers in the spawning season make up 25% of the impact on the stock. It is anticipated that the decision will be adopted and come into force before the end of the month.

Recognising that all those who fish sea bass should make a balanced and fair contribution to saving this stock, it is proposed that the pelagic trawling ban will be complemented by a number of other measures which the Commission and the countries involved – UK, France, Belgium and the Netherlands - are putting together jointly. This will include measures to manage recreational fishing and limit catches of all other commercial fisheries. The Commission will work with the countries involved to finalise these measures and table a proposal to the Council in the coming weeks.

The Commission will publish full details of the measures once they are adopted.

Raising fish awareness for tomorrow's star chefs

Collecting all important fish data is a feature of Newlyn's fish market...

and putting in a guest appearance from way down south - a one metre long Mediterranean octopus...

with their suckers running the full length of the tentacles...

much bigger than the more common harbour octopus usually caught and landed locally...

a handful of boats barely filled one end of the market floor...

with the Algrie landing some good sized megrim soles...

while the Cornishman put ashore a good run of ray...

just some of the many fish getting close inspection from Truro & Penwith College catering students from Rick Stein's apprenticeship programme - aiming to be Cornish Michelin stars of the future perhaps...

get the in-depth detail from Lionel...

before they set off for a breakfast at the Mission...

out in the harbour it is high water and time to get the boat securely tied up before the tide drops away...

clear decks on the Cornishman...

and the Plymouth based Admiral Gordon...

like the crabbers are all set to sail later today.

Ahead of tomorrow's HoC Rural Affairs Committe meeeting - Sunday's BBC Politics South West MMO discussion.

Presenter Lucie Fisher together with Oliver Colville (Con) for Plymouth and Michael Foster (Lab) candidate for George Eustice's Camborne seat discuss the culpability of the MMO and its workings - fishermen and MPs from across all parties have called for a public enquiry into the running of the MMO.

Common's Committee scrutiny of the MMO tomorrow afternoon.

Will we see another MMO ray and skate ban this year?

Work of the Committee 2010-15 evidence sessions

15 January 2015

As part of the Committee’s review of its scrutiny of Defra over the course of this Parliament, the Committee is holding one-off evidence sessions with Defra agencies to examine key achievements and challenges of the past five years and priorities for the coming Parliament.

• Parliament TV: Marine Management Organisation session
• Inquiry: The work of the Committee
• Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee

Witnesses

At 3.00pm, Wednesday 21 January 2015, Committee Room 16, Palace of Westminster

• Sir Bill Callaghan, Chair
• John Tuckett, Chief Executive Officer
• Andy Beattie, Acting Chief Executive Officer

Purpose of session
The first evidence session will hear from the Marine Management Organisation (MMO) and will examine the role of the MMO’s work in protecting the marine environment and supporting the sustainable growth of coastal communities, including regulation of fishing.

Future evidence sessions

At 3.00pm, Wednesday 4 February 2015

• Dr Paul Leinster CBE, Chief Executive
• Sir Philip Dilley, Chair

Purpose of session
This evidence session will hear from the Government Agency and aims to examine the role of the Environment Agency’s work in relating to the protection and enhancement of the environment in England, including flooding, water abstractions, and fracking.
At 3.00pm, Wednesday 11 February 2015

• Richard Macdonald, Chair of the Independent Farming Regulation Task Force and Chair of the Implementation Group
• George Eustice MP, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for farming, food and marine environment, Defra

Purpose of session
This evidence session will examine progress of implementing the recommendations of the Task Force on farming regulation.
The meetings will take place in a committee room in the House of Commons. Visitors should check the exact location nearer the time on the Committee’s website.

Bass ban as reported in the UK.

Brussels has issued an emergency ban on fisheries trawling for bass during the spawning season to save the species from collapse.


The European Commission decision, announced yesterday, will protect fish stocks off the Westcountry coast which are vulnerable to French pair trawlers in particular. The emergency closure, which has been agreed with Britain, France, Belgium and the Netherlands, will extend from the North Sea to the south coast of England and the Irish Sea for “pelagic” – or open sea – trawlers between January and April.


Pelagic trawlers account for around a quarter of the “impact” on the stock, the Commission said. French pair trawlers take around a third of all bass and are thought to target them during the spawning season – meaning they do not get a chance to reproduce. The measure is likely to be adopted on Friday.


Bass fishing was outlawed in 2004 after pair trawling was banned linked to the killing of dolphins off the South West coast. The method, which involves two powerful boats towing a giant net, provides the majority of bass available in fishmongers. Recreational bass fishing is an important tourist activity off the Devon and Cornwall coast.


Fisheries Minister George Eustice, also Conservative MP for Camborne and Redruth in Cornwall, said: “Real action is being taken to protect bass stocks. The UK has consistently argued that there is need to reduce fishing pressure to protect concentrations of fish during the spawning season and prevent the collapse of stocks – the science is unequivocal.


“I am therefore delighted the European Commission has announced a package of emergency measures aimed at averting the collapse of the declining bass stock.

“To build on this success I hope we can achieve agreement with other EU Member States on a wider package of measures that achieves a balanced approach, reflecting the contribution of both commercial fisheries and recreational anglers to declining bass numbers.”


Read more: Full story from the Western Morning News

Plenty of comments have been added to MP George Eustice's FB page after he posted his role in securing the deal - see the post and comments here:

Celebrate local chippy - like Frankie's fish 'n' Chips in Shetland!

Frankie's Fish & Chips in Brae, Shetland, is a contemporary fish and chip takeaway and restaurant that offers top-quality produce sourced from sustainable stocks. But it's more than just a chippy. Find out all about what we have been getting up to over the past year in this short film.