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WRITTEN STATEMENT
BY
THE WELSH GOVERNMENT
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TITLE |
The Sea Fisheries (International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas) (Amendment) Regulations 2024
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DATE |
12 December 2023 |
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BY |
Lesley Griffiths MS, Minister for Rural Affairs and North Wales, and Trefnydd |
The Sea Fisheries (International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas) (Amendment) Regulations 2024 (“the 2024 Regulations”)
Members of the Senedd will wish to be aware I have given consent to the Secretary of State exercising a concurrent power to make subordinate legislation in a devolved area in relation to Wales.
Consent was sought on 14 September 2023 by Lord Benyon, Minister for Biosecurity, Marine and Rural Affairs to make a statutory instrument titled the Sea Fisheries (International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas) (Amendment) Regulations 2024. The 2024 Regulations apply in relation to Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
The 2024 Regulations will be made by the Secretary of State in exercise of powers conferred by section 36(1)(a)and 51(1)(a) of the Fisheries Act 2020.
This instrument makes amendments to the following retained EU law:
Council Regulation (EC) No 1936/2001 laying down control measures applicable to fishing for certain stocks of highly migratory fish.
Council Regulation (EC) No 1984/2003 introducing a system for the statistical monitoring of trade in swordfish and bigeye tuna within the Community.
Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) No 2015/98 on the implementation of the Union’s international obligations under the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas and the Convention on Future Multilateral Cooperation in the Northwest Atlantic Fisheries
Regulation (EU) 2016/1627 of the European Parliament and of the Council on a multiannual recovery plan for bluefin tuna in the eastern Atlantic and the Mediterranean
Regulation (EU) 2019/1154 of the European Parliament and of the Council on a multiannual recovery plan for Mediterranean swordfish
Regulation (EU) 2019/1241 of the European Parliament and of the Council on the conservation of fisheries resources and the protection of marine ecosystems through technical measures
In addition to amending retained EU law, this instrument also amends the Common Fisheries Policy and Aquaculture (Amendment etc) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019.
Consent was granted as these Regulations ensure the UK is compliant with its obligations under the International Convention on the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (the Convention). Some of the provisions amend retained EU law where the original EU legislation had not been updated prior to Implementation Period completion day to reflect new obligations on contracting parties to the Convention. Some of the provisions amend retained EU law which was up to date on Implementation Period completion day to reflect new obligations which have been adopted under the Convention since the UK left the EU and joined the Convention as an independent contracting party. In order for them to be effective, it is considered application on a UK basis and to all vessels operating in UK waters or wherever they may be.
The 2024 Regulations were laid before Parliament on 12 December 2023 and will come into force on 1 April 2024.