§ 49. Major Sir ARCHIBALD SINCLAIRasked the Prime Minister whether he is aware that the spawning grounds in the Moray Firth are among the largest and most important round our coast; that they are being destroyed by trawlers, of whom the principal offenders are foreign trawlers, who are allowed to trawl up to the three-mile limit by virtue of the North Sea Convention, 1882; that distress and the consequent process of depopulation is spreading among the fishing communities along the Moray Firth; and whether he will approach the other signatories to the North Sea Convention, with a view to arranging for the mutual protection of spawning grounds outwith the limits of territorial waters?
§ Captain ELLIOT (Parliamentary Under-Secretary for Health, Scotland)I have been asked to answer this question. The important part which the Moray Firth plays in regard to certain kinds of fish is realised. The amount of trawling which is at present going on in the Moray Firth and the consequent injury to the grounds are not, I think, considerable. During the year ended 21st April, 1923, the average number of foreign trawlers observed in the Firth has been only about two per month. In the circumstances such trawling can scarcely be regarded as having any material influence upon decline of population among the fishing communities concerned. The question of the measures to be taken with a view to conservation of stocks of fish in the North Sea is being considered from the scientific standpoint by the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea.
§ Mr. MACPHERSONIs the hon. and gallant Gentleman aware that even two trawlers seen trawling in the Moray Firth are offensive to the local fishermen? Is the Noble Lord the Secretary far Scotland to give a Committee for going into the whole question?
§ Captain Viscount CURZONIs it not a fact that a great deal of trawling is done at night?
§ Captain ELLIOTThe question on the Paper has reference to the injury done to the fish stocks in the North Sea; it is not a question of whether or not it was offensive to the fishermen. Undoubtedly not every case of trawling is observed, but the number of cases alleged by the fishermen is not very much higher than the number actually observed by the boats engaged in the detection of these criminals.
§ Lieut.-Commander KENWORTHYAre we claiming to prevent this fishing outside the three miles?
§ Captain ELLIOTThat is the point. This fishing is outside the three miles limit, and the hon. and gallant Gentleman, who has served in the Navy, will recognise that it is very difficult to enforce prohibition against vessels trawling outside the three miles. We are engaged in a dispute with the Government of Russia on this very point.
§ Mr. MACPHERSONI beg to give notice that I will raise this question on the Adjournment to-morrow night.
§ 68. Mr. HARMSWORTHasked the Minister of Agriculture why the German trawlers possess the right to fish the Moray Firth when our own are excluded; and whether the Government will consider bringing in a Measure to prevent the Germans underselling our own fishermen in our own markets by reason of the variations in the exchange?
§ The MINISTER of AGRICULTURE (Sir R. Sanders)It was decided by His Majesty's Government in 1907, as a result of representations by the Norwegian Government, that the bye-law which prohibits trawling in the Moray Firth should not be enforced against foreigners employed on foreign vessels. Following upon this decision, the Trawling in Prohibited Areas Prevention Act, 1909, was passed in order to prevent the landing in this country of any fish caught by foreign trawlers in the Moray Firth or similar areas. Only three German trawlers have been observed in the Moray Firth since the 1st January last. With reference to the second part of the question, so long as fish taken by German vessels is sold, as at present, by auction at the port of landing, in competition with fish landed by British fishing vessels, it does not appear to me that any question of underselling can arise.