Questions in Parliament (Updated 11 Dec 08)

The Scottish Government does not hold comprehensive information on this subject. However estimates of the value to the economy of some types of outdoor recreation for some areas of Scotland are available from the British Marine Federation, the World Wildlife Fund and other organisations.

For example, the federation estimate that the annual economic impact of the marine leisure industry in Scotland is £250 million, supporting around 7,000 jobs, with sailing accounting for £130 million of this. The World Wildlife Fund estimates that coastal tourism in Scotland contributes £375 million to the economy. Sportscotland estimates that sea angling is worth around £150 million, and we are near the end of a study to give us a more precise estimate, while recreational diving is worth upwards of £5 million.

At the local level, quite small economic impacts can have a major benefit. The Tiree Wave Classic is supported by EventScotland and is estimated to bring £1 million to the Tiree economy each year. The Fife Coast and Countryside Trust estimate that between 480,000 and 580,000 visitors used the Fife Coastal Path between July 2005 and June 2006, generating between £24 million and £29 million of revenues, and supporting 800 to 900 jobs in Fife.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what estimate he has made of the number of (a) people employed in the recreational sea angling sector and (b) businesses serving the recreational sea angling sector.

A DEFRA-funded study carried out by Drew Associates into the economic impact of the recreational sea angling sector in England and Wales was published in 2004. This study estimated that 18,889 people were employed in the sector, of which 5,652 resulted from shore angling, 3,092 from charter boats and 10,145 from private boat angling. We do not have an estimate of the number of businesses serving the recreational sea angling sector but the same report found that sea anglers generated some £71 million net income in England and Wales for suppliers of services to the sector. Suppliers included tackle and food retailers and accommodation-related businesses.

http://www.theyworkforyou.com/wrans/?id=2008-11-24a.236624.h

Claire Curtis-Thomas (Crosby, Labour)

http://www.theyworkforyou.com/wrans/?id=2008-11-24a.236595.h

White Fish: Conservation

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

(1) what his response is to the draft Recreational Sea Angling Strategy; which policies in the strategy he plans to implement; whether he has a timetable for implementing the strategy; and if he will make a statement;

(2) what species will be covered by management plans introduced under the draft Recreational Sea Angling Strategy; and if he will make a statement.

The Summary of Responses to the DEFRA consultation on a draft Recreational Sea Angling Strategy will be published shortly, and will include a brief outline of the next steps. Revisions to the draft strategy are being made to reflect the results of the consultation, after which the revised draft will be discussed with key stakeholders. DEFRA intends to publish the revised strategy before the end of the year.

In advance of the publication of the revised strategy, revised management measures for sea bass, which is a prime sports fish for the sea angling sector, are under consideration. This involves a review of the 30 restricted areas in existence around the English coast to protect juvenile bass. The first stage of this process has just been completed, involving questionnaires being sent to Sea Fisheries Committees and the Marine Fisheries Agency in coastal regions of England, to identify whether amendments to the existing areas, or new areas, are needed. Full consultation with stakeholders will take place in the new year once the results of the first stage of the process have been assessed.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether he plans to introduce angling-only areas; and if he will make a statement.

Huw Irranca-Davies (Parliamentary Under-Secretary, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs; Ogmore, Labour)

I have no current plans to introduce sea angling-only areas. However, DEFRA is funding research to explore whether closing specific coastal areas to commercial fishing with nets and lines (alongside limits on angling such as catch and release requirements or bag limits) would improve sea bass survival. The project is also assessing whether such restricted-catch areas could provide benefits to anglers. Emerging results from this project will be- published shortly and discussed with stakeholders, although the final report is not due until 2011.

In inland waters, the vast majority of fishing is by angling and in many lakes and rivers the only form of fishing allowed is angling. The Environment Agency has responsibility for regulating salmon and freshwater fisheries in England and Wales. It has a statutory duty to maintain, improve and develop these fisheries. The Environment Agency's approach is to seek to ensure first that target stocks of fish are maintained at satisfactory levels and that fishing is undertaken in a sustainable way. In some places only angling is permitted. Where different fishing methods are allowed, the level of fishing is regulated by controls on effort and the restrictions on exploitation are balanced between the types of fishing allowed, for example, between nets and rods.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether he plans to introduce angling-only areas; and if he will make a statement.

Huw Irranca-Davies (Parliamentary Under-Secretary, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs; Ogmore, Labour)

I have no current plans to introduce sea angling-only areas. However, DEFRA is funding research to explore whether closing specific coastal areas to commercial fishing with nets and lines (alongside limits on angling such as catch and release requirements or bag limits) would improve sea bass survival. The project is also assessing whether such restricted-catch areas could provide benefits to anglers. Emerging results from this project will be- published shortly and discussed with stakeholders, although the final report is not due until 2011.

In inland waters, the vast majority of fishing is by angling and in many lakes and rivers the only form of fishing allowed is angling. The Environment Agency has responsibility for regulating salmon and freshwater fisheries in England and Wales. It has a statutory duty to maintain, improve and develop these fisheries. The Environment Agency's approach is to seek to ensure first that target stocks of fish are maintained at satisfactory levels and that fishing is undertaken in a sustainable way. In some places only angling is permitted. Where different fishing methods are allowed, the level of fishing is regulated by controls on effort and the restrictions on exploitation are balanced between the types of fishing allowed, for example, between nets and rods.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether he plans to introduce angling-only areas; and if he will make a statement.

Huw Irranca-Davies (Parliamentary Under-Secretary, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs; Ogmore, Labour)

I have no current plans to introduce sea angling-only areas. However, DEFRA is funding research to explore whether closing specific coastal areas to commercial fishing with nets and lines (alongside limits on angling such as catch and release requirements or bag limits) would improve sea bass survival. The project is also assessing whether such restricted-catch areas could provide benefits to anglers. Emerging results from this project will be- published shortly and discussed with stakeholders, although the final report is not due until 2011.

In inland waters, the vast majority of fishing is by angling and in many lakes and rivers the only form of fishing allowed is angling. The Environment Agency has responsibility for regulating salmon and freshwater fisheries in England and Wales. It has a statutory duty to maintain, improve and develop these fisheries. The Environment Agency's approach is to seek to ensure first that target stocks of fish are maintained at satisfactory levels and that fishing is undertaken in a sustainable way. In some places only angling is permitted. Where different fishing methods are allowed, the level of fishing is regulated by controls on effort and the restrictions on exploitation are balanced between the types of fishing allowed, for example, between nets and rods.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether he plans to introduce angling-only areas; and if he will make a statement.

Huw Irranca-Davies (Parliamentary Under-Secretary, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs; Ogmore, Labour)

I have no current plans to introduce sea angling-only areas. However, DEFRA is funding research to explore whether closing specific coastal areas to commercial fishing with nets and lines (alongside limits on angling such as catch and release requirements or bag limits) would improve sea bass survival. The project is also assessing whether such restricted-catch areas could provide benefits to anglers. Emerging results from this project will be- published shortly and discussed with stakeholders, although the final report is not due until 2011.

In inland waters, the vast majority of fishing is by angling and in many lakes and rivers the only form of fishing allowed is angling. The Environment Agency has responsibility for regulating salmon and freshwater fisheries in England and Wales. It has a statutory duty to maintain, improve and develop these fisheries. The Environment Agency's approach is to seek to ensure first that target stocks of fish are maintained at satisfactory levels and that fishing is undertaken in a sustainable way. In some places only angling is permitted. Where different fishing methods are allowed, the level of fishing is regulated by controls on effort and the restrictions on exploitation are balanced between the types of fishing allowed, for example, between nets and rods.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether he plans to introduce angling-only areas; and if he will make a statement.

Huw Irranca-Davies (Parliamentary Under-Secretary, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs; Ogmore, Labour)

I have no current plans to introduce sea angling-only areas. However, DEFRA is funding research to explore whether closing specific coastal areas to commercial fishing with nets and lines (alongside limits on angling such as catch and release requirements or bag limits) would improve sea bass survival. The project is also assessing whether such restricted-catch areas could provide benefits to anglers. Emerging results from this project will be- published shortly and discussed with stakeholders, although the final report is not due until 2011.

In inland waters, the vast majority of fishing is by angling and in many lakes and rivers the only form of fishing allowed is angling. The Environment Agency has responsibility for regulating salmon and freshwater fisheries in England and Wales. It has a statutory duty to maintain, improve and develop these fisheries. The Environment Agency's approach is to seek to ensure first that target stocks of fish are maintained at satisfactory levels and that fishing is undertaken in a sustainable way. In some places only angling is permitted. Where different fishing methods are allowed, the level of fishing is regulated by controls on effort and the restrictions on exploitation are balanced between the types of fishing allowed, for example, between nets and rods.

Peter Peacock (Labour)  Question S3W-14409

To ask the Scottish Executive what specific measures it is taking to protect inshore species of value in recreational sea angling from being totally depleted through commercial fishing policies and practices.

The Scottish Government aims to ensure that all the sea fisheries management measures that it takes within Scottish waters should promote the long term sustainability of all stocks, whether inshore or offshore, and the marine environment as well as the communities and industries that these support.

http://www.theyworkforyou.com/spwrans/?id=2008-07-25.S3W-14408.h&s=fishing#gS3W-14408.r0

Peter Peacock (Labour)  Question S3W-14408

To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to ensure that Scotland achieves best economic value from the common shared resource of species of fish of no commercial value to the catching sector.

John Scott (Conservative) | Official Report source | Question S3W-13583

To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to introduce a fishing catch limit for tope.

Richard Lochhead (Scottish National Party) | Official Report source

Catches of tope by the Scottish fleet are at low levels. I currently have no plans to introduce a fishing catch limit, although I will keep the situation under review.