Committees

Scrutiny of the Fisheries Bill inquiry launched

31 October 2018

The Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee  launches an inquiry into the Fisheries Bill published on 25 October 2018.

In Autumn 2017, the Committee began its inquiry into Fisheries following the Government's announcement that when the UK leaves the European Union (EU) it will also withdraw from the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP).

Most recently, the Committee held evidence sessions on 17 July and 5 September 2018 with Defra on the Government's Fisheries White Paper: “Sustainable fisheries for future generations”.

Terms of Reference

The Fisheries Bill proposes to provide the UK with the legal framework to operate as an independent coastal state under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea 1982 (UNCLOS) after the UK has left the EU and CFP. Some of the key provisions in the Bill are to:

  • Control access by ending current automatic rights for EU vessels to fish in UK waters
  • Set fishing opportunities by proposing powers to ensure the UK can set its own fishing quota and days at sea
  • Protect the marine environment, and
  • How the UK government and the Devolved Administrations will work together on fisheries management.

The Committee is launching a short inquiry on the proposed scope, provisions and powers in the Fisheries Bill, and is inviting written submissions on these issues by 26 November 2018.

Deadline for submissions

Written evidence should be submitted through the inquiry page by midnight on Monday 26 November 2018. It is recommended that all submitters familiarise themselves with the Guidance on giving evidence to a Select Committee of the House of Commons which outlines particulars of word count, format, document size, and content restrictions.

Diversity

We encourage members of underrepresented groups to submit written evidence. We aim to have diverse panels of Select Committee witnesses and ask organisations to bear this in mind when we ask them to choose a representative. We are currently monitoring the diversity of our witnesses.

Further information

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