§ MR. HARWOOD (Bolton)To ask the President of the Board of Agriculture if he is aware that since the Lancashire and Western Sea Fisheries Committee has been at work at public expense the yield of fish has been greatly diminished in the area covered by that Committee, that acres of cockles have been left to rot, and that foreign shrimps are being sold in Southport; and whether, in view of the distress among the native fishermen, who ate not allowed to take the fish, which are plentiful, he proposes to take any and, if so, what action in the matter.
(Answered by Mr. Ailwyn Fellowes.) The Board have no reason to believe from the statistics before them that there has been any such diminution in the yield of fish in the area of the Lancashire and Western Sea Fisheries District as is suggested in the hon. Member's Question. The initiative in making or altering; regulations affecting the sea fisheries in that district rests with the Local Fisheries Committee; but I shall be glad to bring under their notice any representations on the subject which the hon. Member may desire to make.