Schedule 16
Marine and Coastal Access Bill [Lords]
5:00 pm
Martin Salter (Reading West, Labour)
I beg to move amendment 52, in schedule 16, page 283, line 22, leave out ‘21’ and insert ‘22’.
My amendment relates to section 22 of the Salmon and Freshwater Fisheries Act 1975. The Minister will be aware that I raised the issue briefly on Second Reading. I noticed a bit of a mismatch between the Bill and that Act. Basically, section 22 has been left unrepealed, unlike the provisions relating to proceeds. We have proposed legislation to ban the sale of rod-caught salmon, as the hon. Member for Broxbourne pointed out, but missed the opportunity to ensure that the same provision follows through within the marine Bill. We now have the chance to put that right.
The dates when sale of salmon and trout is prohibited no longer correspond to the close seasons for those species. We are giving the Environment Agency complete flexibility to set close seasons through byelaws. That can only result in confusion on the riverbank. Section 22 is redundant and should be repealed. I know that that is the opinion of the Atlantic Salmon Trust, the Salmon and Trout Association and other fisheries specialists. Therefore, the Minister has the opportunity to accept this minor and technical amendment to ensure consistency across the piece.