To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she has taken to protect bass fish stocks during spawning in January 2015 since meetings with EU officials on 16 December 2014; and if she will make a statement.

At the December Council we secured a statement that underlined the commitment of the Commission and Member States involved in the bass fishery to take urgent action to reduce fishing pressure, protect spawning aggregations and so prevent a collapse of the stock. The Government followed up this commitment by formally requesting emergency measures to protect bass during the spawning season (January to April). The Commission has responded positively to the UK request and has now tabled such a measure for consideration by the fisheries management committee.