Sustainable Fisheries Bill Introduced Into Parliament

Environment Secretary, Theresa Villiers, has today reintroduced the Fisheries Bill into Parliament.

The Bill introduces a new legal requirement for all fish stocks to be fished at sustainable levels and a move towards ‘climate-smart fishing’. This will consider the impacts of climate change on fisheries in managing stocks.

The Bill ends current automatic rights for EU vessels to fish in British waters and creates powers for negotiating new deals and quotas. It also includes new measures for Devolved Governments and a single set of UK-wide fisheries objectives.

Environment Secretary Theresa Villiers said:

This new Fisheries Bill takes back control of our waters, enabling the UK to create a sustainable, profitable fishing industry for our coastal communities, whilst securing the long term health of British fisheries.

Leaving the EU’s failed Common Fisheries Policy is one of the most important benefits of Brexit. It means we can create a fairer system which will allow marine habitats to thrive, with new powers to support our fishing sector and conserve our wonderful Blue Belt at home and abroad.