New EU rules ‘could devastate UK fishing’

EU RULES coming into effect on New Year’s Day could have a “devastating” impact on the UK fishing industry, a parliamentary committee has been told.

The “landing obligation” requires boats to bring to shore fish caught in excess of their allocated quota, which they would previously have discarded at sea.

After a four-year phasing-in period, it comes into effect in full tomorrow, with the aim of conserving stocks by encouraging fishermen to be more selective about what they catch.

But the legislation has been branded “badly designed” by UK industry organisations, which said it would force British boats to moor up in harbour for long stretches after reaching quotas on specific species.

The House of Lords EU Energy and Environment Subcommittee heard evidence that the rule could mean fishermen hitting their annual quotas much earlier in the year, with an estimated £165m worth of fish remaining uncaught in 2019 as a result.

Committee member Lord Krebs said: “Maintaining the health of our oceans by fishing at sustainable levels is critically important, and the landing obligation was introduced to help make sure this happens.”

A spokesman for the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) said: “The Government remains fully committed to sustainable fishing, including ending the wasteful discarding of fish. We are aware of the challenges posed to industry by the landing obligation, and will continue to work with industry to address this issue.”