My Lords, these three amendments all deal with the migration of fish across national boundaries. My noble friend Lord Teverson has made the case extremely well: fish stocks are shared and co-operation is essential with other coastal states. The joint fisheries statement
must take account of adjacent exclusive economic zones and territorial waters. Fish are constantly moving across these areas and it is essential that there is co-ordination with non-UK authorities so that these fish stocks are managed in conjunction with others. I am afraid that I cannot agree with the assessment by the noble Lord, Lord Naseby, of the situation.
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Fisheries management plans will be meaningless unless account is taken of neighbouring EEZs and plan areas. It is a pointless exercise to produce a plan which does not take this into account. A great deal of work will go into the joint fisheries statement and the fisheries management plans, but all this will be to no avail if no account is taken of what is happening in adjacent territorial waters. I look forward to the Minister’s response on just how the fisheries management plans will operate and be enforced, if no such recognition is given to the fact that fish move between territorial waters on a constant basis.