Peter Bone (Wellingborough, Conservative)

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what priorities the Government has set for reform of the Common Fisheries Policy; and if he will make a statement.

Huw Irranca-Davies (Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Marine and Natural Environment), Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs; Ogmore, Labour)

The European Commission published a Green Paper on CFP reform on 21 April 2009 to trigger the CFP reform process and prompt debate across the EU. That paper presents a Vision for EU fisheries in 2020 and presents ideas for making the Vision happen. Member states are asked to respond to the Green Paper and send these to the Commission by the end of 2009. We are in the process of developing a full UK response.

The UK agrees with the main elements of the Vision which include recovered fish stocks, fish stocks exploited at sustainable levels, a financially robust industry, fishers more involved in technical decision making, better compliance with the rules and improved fisheries governance across the globe.

The UK has similarly laid its own vision for future fisheries—"Fisheries 2027" which is closely aligned with the Commission's Vision. Since then the UK has set out clearly the key elements of that Vision, specifically at the May Council of Fisheries Ministers. These key elements are:

fish stocks within safe biological limits;

a prosperous and efficient fishing industry;

recognition of the contribution of fishing to local communities; and

fisheries management integrated with marine conservation.

Ecological sustainability should be at the heart of delivering that Vision.