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<p>The UK Government remains fully committed to sustainable fisheries management and
the principle of maximum sustainable yield (MSY). This will not change once we are
outside the EU.</p><p> </p><p>In recent years we have successfully introduced a range
of selectivity and spatial avoidance measures in our fisheries to help reduce unwanted
bycatch and discarding, including cod in the Irish Sea nephrops fishery. In the North
Sea, a fleet of vessels participating in an annual scheme to fully document catches
have successfully cut their unwanted catch of unmarketable fish, including undersized
fish, from their mixed fishery. We also continue to take a strong and principled position
on sustainable fishing internationally, including most recently calling for reductions
in catches of yellowfin tuna at the Indian Ocean Tuna Commission, and arguing against
an in year increase in the total allowable catch for North East Atlantic mackerel
as part of a balanced sustainable approach.</p><p> </p><p>The Fisheries Bill introduced
to Parliament in October 2018 provides a framework to enable us to continue to push
for more stocks being fished at MSY and delivering our ambition for sustainable fishing
in the future. The first clause will enact several sustainability objectives, one
of which is to restore fish stocks to levels capable of producing MSY. The Bill provides
for a binding duty on the UK and devolved administrations to produce a statutory Joint
Fisheries Statement. This statement must include policies for the achievement of the
sustainability objectives.</p><p> </p>
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