HC Deb 14 February 1898 vol 53 cc476-8
CAPTAIN D. V. PIRIE (Aberdeen, North)

I beg to ask the Lord Advocate, whether he is aware that trawling has been systematically continued during the winter by foreign trawlers, more especially Danish, in the waters of the Moray Firth, which are closed to British fishermen, and that large cargoes of fish so caught are being landed for the English markets; and whether he will press on the Government the necessity to alter the present state of the law on this question so as to remove the disadvantage to British fishermen as compared with foreigners?

MR. ANDREW G. MURRAY

I propose to reply to the questions put to me, respectively, by the hon. Members for the counties of Elgin and Nairn, and North Aberdeen, and the Wick Burghs at the same time. The complaints which the Fishery Boards have received through their officials and others of illegal trawling in the Moray Firth since the 1st November last up to now, have all been inquired into, but no definite charge has been made to the Board or lodged by them with the criminal authorities. From information I have received from the Fishery Board it appears that the incursions by trawlers have been considerably exaggerated, and that it is very doubtful whether any material number of British trawlers have been fishing inside the closed waters of the Moray Firth. The Fishermen's tug Tyne has not, so far as we know, detected any Britishowned trawlers, or reported that they have seen any at work—but three or four foreign trawlers have been fishing within the prescribed area, and have landed their takes at Hull. Contracts have been entered into for the supply of one additional and swifter cruiser, and also of one "Picket Boat," which are expected to be ready in four or five months, for the Fishery Board service. The cause of the apparent delay in the construction of these vessels has been mainly due to the difficulties experienced by the Board, both in price and time, arising out of the engineers' strike.

CAPTAIN PIRIE

With reference to that answer, may I ask whether the Government propose to take any steps to stop foreign trawlers from landing fish in England that have been caught in Scottish waters?

MR. ANDREW G. MURRAY

I cannot answer that.

CAPTAIN PIRIE

In view of that answer, I will ask this question: Whether, seeing that these fish, which are caught by foreign trawlers in Scottish waters, cannot be landed at Scottish Ports in accordance with Scottish law, but are being landed at English Ports, will the Government take stops to prevent these illegally caught fish from being landed at English Ports?

MR. ANDREW G. MURRAY

That question has been occupying the attention of the Government, and I will answer that question later on.