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* Parliament completed its consideration of the Bill (Stage 3) on 15 May 2013. The Bill as passed will become an Act when Royal Assent is confirmed and it is expected that the Act will be commenced in August 2013.
The purpose of the Aquaculture and Fisheries Bill is to ensure that farmed and wild fisheries - and their interactions with each other - continue to be managed effectively, maximising their combined contribution to supporting sustainable economic growth with due regard to the wider marine environment.
The Bill also aims to amend the Fisheries Act 1981 and modernise existing enforcement provisions to ensure that sufficient powers are in place to enable British Sea Fishery Officers to:
- Enforce sea fisheries regulations
- Introduce legislative provisions to safeguard shellfish waters protected areas
- Make provision for charges for a number of fishery functions
- Extend the scope of offences that could be subject to a Fixed Penalty Notice.
Stages:
The final consideration of Bill in Parliament - Stage 3 - was completed on 15 May, where it was passed.
The Bill progressed to Stage 2 on 20 March 2013 and amendements were published in the Business Bulletin.
The Rural Affairs, Climate Change and Environment committee completed its consideration of the Bill at Stage 1 and published its report to Parliament, which was debated on 28 February 2013.