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Written question asked by Lord Teverson (Liberal Democrat) on Tuesday, 22 April 2025, in the House of Lords. It was due for an answer on Wednesday, 7 May 2025. It was answered by Baroness Hayman of Ullock (Labour) on Tuesday, 13 May 2025 on behalf of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.


Fisheries

Question

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by the Minister of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on 10 October 2024 (HC6250), whether it is their intention to ratify the International Maritime Organisation's 2012 Cape Town Agreement on the Safety of Fishing Vessels at the United Nations Oceans Conference in June 2025; and whether they will fully align their policies with the Global Charter for Fisheries Transparency.

Answer

The UK Government fully supports the Cape Town Agreement. It is the first global agreement on fishing safety. It provides mandatory minimum standards to safeguard fishers working at sea and deters vessel operators from engaging in Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) fishing. The Agreement achieves this by making poor working conditions subject to detention and inspection globally.

We have worked to ensure that the UK can accede to the Cape Town Agreement. Subject to Parliamentary Scrutiny, we will instruct the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office to conclude accession. This will be as soon as possible.

The UK Government also welcomes the broad principles underpinning the Global Charter for Fisheries Transparency. We see considerable merit in its objective of improving transparency and accountability in global fisheries governance and management.

The UK has already implemented many of the policies set out in the Charter. We will continue to keep under active review the steps we can take to combat IUU fishing and will continue to welcome engagement with the organisations which have produced the Charter.


Secondary information

Type
Written question
Reference
HL6754
Session
2024-26
Related items
Fisheries
Thursday, 10 October 2024
Written questions
House of Commons
Fishing Vessels: Safety
Monday, 28 July 2025
Written questions
House of Lords
Fishing Vessels: Safety
Friday, 22 May 2026
Written questions
House of Lords
Subjects
Fisheries
Link
View this Written question on www.parliament.uk