Fisheries: Protection

Environment Food and Rural Affairs written question – answered at on 14 March 2013.

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Photo of Alison Seabeck Alison Seabeck Shadow Minister (Defence)

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what plans he has for Fisheries Protection vessels; and whether his Department has discussed the future of such vessels with (a) the Ministry of Defence, (b) the UK Border Agency and (c) the Home Department.

Photo of Richard Benyon Richard Benyon The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

The Marine Management Organisation is an NDPB sponsored by DEFRA and four other Government Departments. It has a remit as the regulator of marine activity including fishing in English waters. The Royal Navy has an agreement in place to provide support to the MMO in meeting its regulatory duties, including monitoring fishing activity, through its fishery protection vessels. This agreement expires on 31 March 2013. A revised agreement covering 1 April 2013 to 31 March 2016 is nearing completion.

The current overall mission of the RN Fisheries Protection Squadron is to patrol the fishery limits of England, Wales and Northern Ireland. In respect of defining future surveillance requirements, a study is currently being undertaken collaboratively by the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl) and Royal United Services Institute (RUSI) on behalf of the cross-Government Maritime Security Oversight Group. It will consider the cross-Government coastal and offshore maritime enforcement, surveillance and interdiction capability required to counter both present and future UK maritime risks. This work is currently scheduled to report by June 2013. All relevant bodies will continue to discuss how best to manage risks to UK maritime interests.

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