§ 5. Major ENTWISTLEasked the First Lord of the Admiralty if he is aware that his action in closing the fishing grounds in the vicinity of Galloper Sands to British trawlers is causing much concern in fishing circles, seeing that the French vessels are not so restricted; and if the closure is intended to be permanent?
§ Lieut.-Colonel Sir R. SANDERS (Lord of the Treasury)With the hon. Member's permission, the reply to his question will be published in the OFFICIAL REPORT.
§ The following is the answer referred to:
§ Trawling has been prohibited to British fishing vessels in an area known as the Northern Approaches to the Straits of Dover (Area No. 10), because of the danger to vessels trawling from the presence of sunken mines on the bottom and the difficulty of determining how long such mines remain dangerous. The Admiralty have, however, already had under consideration the reduction of Area No. 10, and instructions are being issued to amend Notices to Mariners No. 5 of 1920 and Notices to Fishermen No. 10 of the 9th March, 1920, whereby Area No. 10, "Northern Approaches to Dover Straits," will be reduced by about 80 per cent.
§ Two smaller areas, one in the vicinity of the Kentish Knock Light Vessel, and one between Deal and Dunkerque, will still remain prohibited to trawling by British fishing vessels. It need not be stated that the Admiralty are very reluctant to retain restrictions on trawling, but they feel bound to do so except where reasonable safety from sunken mines can be assumed. Certain apparatus has been devised and brought to the notice of the fishing community for preventing the entry of sunken mines into the trawl— 1227 but it has not so far been adopted by fishermen to an extent sufficient to affect the problem before the Admiralty.