Fisheries Bill

Key Points

• Sets policy objectives for fisheries, fishing and aquaculture, including access to British fisheries and allocation of fishing opportunities; regulates licensing of boats.
• Allows schemes to charge for unauthorised catches and recover costs of public functions relating to fishing.
• Provides grants for fishing, aquaculture and marine conservation needs.
• Authorises byelaws and orders for the exploitation of sea fisheries; enables further provisions in this area.
• The bill underwent lengthy Commons scrutiny (2018–2019) and Lords consideration in 2020, where four amendments were proposed and then defeated; it remains at the Commons’ Report Stage with further amendments possible.
• Document trail shows extensive amendment papers, committee scrutiny and Brexit-related context acknowledged in related correspondence.

Progress

The bill originated in the Commons with long consideration in 2018–2019, then went to the Lords where amendments were proposed in 2020 and defeated. It is currently at Report Stage in the Commons, with further debate on amendments likely before moving to third reading and final passage.

Voting

In the Lords, four amendments were defeated by large margins, with cross‑party support for the amendments from Labour, Lib Dem, SNP and others, but strong opposition from Conservative Lords (e.g., Amendment 3: 197 Aye, 331 No; Amendment 1: 196 Aye, 335 No; New Clause 3: 65 Aye, 335 No; Blackford’s amendment: 49 Aye, 326 No). In the Lords, Conservative Lords opposed these changes while other parties supported them. In the Commons, the party positions show Conservative MPs opposing the bill (0 Aye, 315 No on these lines) while Labour, Lib Dem, SNP, Independent, Plaid Cymru, SDLP and Your Party showed support (Ayes listed against Noes in the record). Sinn Féin is shown as mixed or not recorded on these votes.