Lords ask fishermen and conservation groups to share views on the EU's ban on fish discards
On Wednesday 5 December the House of Lords EU Energy and Environment Sub-Committee will ask fisherman and conservation groups their views on the implementation and enforcement of the EU landing obligation.
Under the EU landing obligation, fisherman will have to land all the fish they catch rather than discarding fish they don't want back into the sea. Fishermen are concerned about the impact this will have on their livelihoods, but conservation groups say it is key to protecting the marine environment
The Committee will hear directly from fishermen about the challenges this policy will cause them, and then from conservation groups about the important environmental benefits that would come from strictly enforcing a discard ban.
The session will begin at 10:15am and the Committee will question:
- Jim Pettipher, CEO, Coastal Producer Organisation
- Jeremy Percy, Director, New Under Ten Fishermens Association (NUTFA)
- Graeme Searle, Fisherman
- Graham Doswell, Fisherman
The second session will begin at 11:15am with:
- Helen McLachlan, Fisheries Programme Manager, WWF-UK
- Samuel Stone, Head of Fisheries and Aquaculture, Marine Conservation Society
Topics the Committee are likely to cover include:
- How significant a change is the landing obligation, and why is it important?
- What has been the impact of the landing obligation to date, and what is the likely impact when it comes fully into force in January?
- What are the challenges posed by the landing obligation, and how might they be overcome?
- Is the UK ready to fully implement the landing obligation in January?
The Committee have asked for written evidence to inform the inquiry, this can be submitted online using the form found here. The deadline is 11.59pm on Thursday 13 December.
