The negotiated EU Withdrawal Agreement, external included the provision that the UK would be bound by the Commons Fisheries Policy until the end of any transition period.

The agreement on the backstop provisions for Northern Ireland included that free movement of fishery and aquaculture products would not be included in any backstop customs arrangements for the whole of the UK “unless an agreement on access to waters and fishing opportunities is applicable between the Union and the United Kingdom”.

The Political Declaration, external sets out that any fisheries agreement should be in place for the first year after the transition period and included a target date for ratifying any fisheries agreement of 1 July 2020.

There were no significant changes in relation to fisheries in the new Withdrawal Agreement and the Political Declaration, external agreed in October 2019.

Read more about fisheries and Brexit from the House of Commons library here., external

To Scotland's fishermen, Mr Chapman warns the SNP want to stop Brexit and keep them in the hated CFP (Common Fisheries Policy).

The Tory MSP says his party fully realise the opportunities of leaving the CFP, which will improve sustainability.

He argues access to Scottish waters by the EU fleet will no longer be an automatic right after Brexit.

Mr Chapman says further uncertainty over a second Scottish independence referendum is restricting growth in the fishing sector.

Brexit will allow Scotland to "take back control" of its own resources in terms of territorial waters, he argues.

Mr Ewing intervenes to suggest Brexit "does nothing" in terms of tacking back control of waters, pointing to the Boris Johnson's withdrawal deal.

The Tory MSP hits back insisting his is the party that will take the UK out the EU and out the Common Fisheries Policy, while the SNP is the party that would leave Scotland in it.

Image source, Getty Images

There is "a lot of uncertainty" about the UK's capacity to patrol fishing waters after a no-deal Brexit, a government memo mistakenly emailed to the BBC has revealed.

The memo, from the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, says there are just 12 ships "to monitor a space three times the size of the surface area of the UK".

Meanwhile Michael Gove has said there will be a government support fund to help British businesses in the event of a no-deal Brexit.

Read more.

Image source, bbc

Peter Chapman claims to be speaking on behalf of the fishing industry as he opens for the Scottish Conservatives.

He welcomes an increase in 24 vessels since last year and the increase of 1% of people working on fishing vessels.

The Tory MSP warns of difficult negotiations this year, particularly for cod, but the picture looks brighter for pelagic fish like mackerel.

He warns the number of fish processing sites has decreased in the North East, with jobs going to Humberside where fish processing is growing.

Mr Ewing says the negotiations have produced in a number of positive results, going on to provide detail on quota agreements for various stocks.

He says a bluefin tuna tagging project is underway and the Scottish government supports a tagging programme and a small quota for sport.

Scottish officials are working with colleagues across the EU and Norway to deal with and respond to science advice on North Sea cod, the minister says.

He says the negotiations will conclude in December, but highlights this is made all the harder against the backdrop of the general election.

The value of fish landed by Scottish vessels rose slightly last year despite a drop in tonnage, according to official figures, external.

More than 445,000 tonnes of sea fish and shellfish, worth a total of more than £573m, were caught.

This compared to 466,000 tonnes worth £560m in 2017.

Fisheries Secretary Fergus Ewing said the figures showed Scotland was punching "well above its weight" in the European fishing sector.

Read more.

Mr Ewing says the industry is in generally good health and there has been an increase in the number of vessels in the Scottish fishing fleet.

There are a lot of people working in the industry, "put simply we have got a lot to use" the minister adds.

Mr Ewing says he has been a part of the negotiations for the last three years and he has a workmanlike relation with his UK counterpart George Eustice.

However we simply don't know who will be in place after the election and he calls for the Scottish government to lead the negotiations.

Rural Economy Secretary Fergus Ewing says improving the safety in the fishing industry is important and points to the work of the fishing safety group, tasked with exploring improvements.

Mr Ewing confirms contracts for vessel tracking and monitoring technology will be awarded before the end of the year.

Labour MSP Claudia Beamish asks if all vessels will be covered by this or whether smaller vessels will be exempt.

The cabinet secretary confirms the aim is to extend the technology throughout the inshore fleet, starting with scallop dredgers.

Image source, Press Eye

MSPs are debating sea fisheries of the conclusion of the coastal state negotiations.

Rural Affairs Secretary Fergus Ewing is leading on behalf of the Scottish government.

Here is his motion...

Image source, Scottish Parliament

Mike Rumbles says with Brexit we face the loss of expert scientists who have come to work here.

The Lib Dem MSP agrees this threatens Scotland's ability to protect its plants and trees and he asks how exactly the minister plans to address this problem.

Ms Gougeon agrees about the threat of Brexit and whether we can continue to play a role in Horizon 2020.

Horizon 2020 is the EU's Research and Innovation programme with nearly £70bn of funding available between 2014 and 2020, read more here.

The minister argues the general election just continues the uncertainty.

Green MSP Mark Ruskell asks about restoring funding to the James Hutton Institute in the light of the loss of international collaborations and funding post-Brexit.

Ms Gougeon says the government wants to continue support for research centres and it is looking into how best to do this.

Image source, bbc

Labour MSP Claudia Beamish agrees with the minister these are very significant issues and stresses the right of food for all.

Ms Beamish calls for improved action on biosecurity and warns of the Brexit impact on research.

She asks how the government is supporting nature friendly farming and whether this will be addressed in the Agriculture Bill.

The natural environment minister pledges to keep pace with what is happening in the EU.

Ms Gougeon says climate change champions are promoting best practice in farming.

Tory MSP Finlay Carson says data is important in terms of biodiversity but he questions how much importance the government places on research and data.

He seeks assurances the funding and a data collection network will be in place to tackle the biodiversity emergency.

Ms Gougeon agrees we are in a biodiversity emergency and points to the efforts of the Plant Health Centre to bring together research.

"When I first saw the impact this disease was having, it really almost reduced me to tears."

The words of Scottish Forestry's John Dougan as he describes the battle to defeat the deadly tree disease Phytophthora Ramorum.

It has spread throughout Scotland in recent years, leaving thousands of dead and damaged trees in its wake.

If the ongoing fight is lost, it is feared it could be catastrophic for the forestry industry and also hit tourism.

Read more.

Ms Gougeon says we enter 2020 with concerns about Brexit continuing and she warns about the impact it could have on attracting scientists to Scotland.

It is vital we educate children in how important the environment is, she says, and points to a range of events planned in 2020 do this.

The minister says she is hopeful there will be activity in the Scottish Parliament to mark the International Year of Plant Health.

She pledges to make the Scottish government's programme for the year of plant health a success.

Image source, IYPH

The UN declared 2020 would be the International Year of Plant Health.

It is design to highlight how protecting plant health can bring global benefits, such as reducing hunger, protecting the environment and boosting economies.

Plant health is a general term which covers the prevention of pests, weeds and disease.

Read more about the designated year here. , external

Image source, bbc

Natural Environment Minister Mairi Gougeon says this UN initiative aims to protect plants globally and she says plant health is critical to our existence.

Ms Gougeon details some of the threats to plant life in Scotland and measures the government are taking to address them.

She says we must continue to invest in science and monitoring, adding "we simply cannot afford to do nothing."

Image source, FCS

There will now be a statement on the International Year of Plant Health 2020.