§ Mr. WARINGasked the Lord Advocate how many cases of trawling in the prohibited area of the Moray Firth have been reported to the Scottish Fishery Board by the fishery cruisers during the months of January and February; and whether any prosecutions have taken place or are pending for the attempt to land illegally trawled fish in British ports?
§ The LORD ADVOCATE (Mr. Ure)Eleven foreign trawlers were so reported on twenty-two occasions during January and February, namely, six Danish trawlers on twelve occasions, four Norwegian trawlers on eight occasions, and one Belgian trawler on two occasions. The method of prosecution under the Act of last Session, as my hon. Friend is aware, is not prosecution, but confiscation, by the Customs of fish caught in prohibited areas and brought to a port in the United Kingdom. Confiscation of fish caught in the Moray Firth has already taken place, namely, in the case of the Danish vessel "Thora," which was observed at work in the Moray 1640 Firth on 26th February, and whose catch of fish was seized at Grimsby on the 2nd instant.