MR. CATHCART WASONI beg to ask the Secretary for Scotland if he is aware that complaints of illegal trawling from Shetland are more numerous at present than at any time during past years; and whether he has official information showing that this is to be accounted for by the persons committing these nefarious practices being shut out of the Moray Firth.
§ THE SECRETARY FOR SCOTLAND (Mr. SINCLAIR, Forfarshire)I am informed that since August last there has been a considerable number of complaints of illegal trawling off the coasts of Shetland, and possibly these have been more numerous than the complaints from Shetland covering a similar period in recent years. This circumstance cannot, however, be associated with the exclusion of trawlers from the Moray Firth as a result of the recent decision in the High Court of Justiciary. As a matter of fact, no Norwegian trawlers have been detected fishing in Shetland waters since the date of the decision referred to.