Lords to publish report on the implications of the EU landing obligation for the UK fishing industry

Lords to publish report on the implications of the EU landing obligation for the UK fishing industry

Having already raised grave concerns about the EU landing obligation and its consequences for the UK’s fishing industry, the House of Lords EU Energy and Environment Sub-Committee will publish its report into these new fisheries conservation rules on Friday 8th February 2019.

The EU landing obligation aims to put an end to the practice of discarding fish. 1.7 million tonnes of fish were being thrown back into the sea each year, because fishers were catching species they did not want or weren’t allowed to keep. Spurred on by a public petition (championed by celebrity chef Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall) that attracted 870,000 signatures, the EU agreed to legislation in 2013 that would require fishers to land everything they caught.

The rules have been slowly phased in since 2015, and came into force in full on 1 January 2019. In its report the Committee considers what impact these new rules have had during the phasing-in period, and how prepared the UK was for full implementation.

The report is available to the media from Thursday 7th February, embargoed until 00:01 Friday 8th February.

Committee member Lord Krebs is available for interview. Interviews can also be arranged with fishers likely to be affected by the new rules, a number of whom gave evidence to the inquiry; filming opportunities at ports and on board fishing vessels can also be arranged.

To discuss these opportunities further, or to request a copy of the report, please contact Anouska Russell on 02072198535 or email lordspressoffice@parliament.uk