§ 16. Mr. GRAHAM WHITEasked the Minister of Agriculture what is the nature of the reply he has returned to representations requesting an amend- 1529 ment of the order under the Sea-Fishing Industry Act, 1933, to permit the landing and sale by in-shore fishermen of sole, plaice, and dabs over eight inches in length?
§ Mr. ELLIOTI have informed the Lancashire and Western Sea Fisheries Committee that I am unable to amend the Order in the manner suggested by them. As I explained in the answer I gave to a similar question addressed to me on the 5th February by the hon. and gallant Member for Blackpool (Captain Erskine-Bolst), the Act does not permit me to prescribe different minimum sizes in relation to the same description of fish. The object of the committee could therefore only be achieved by reduction in the general size limit for plaice, dabs and soles from nine inches to eight inches. As a limit of general application, eight inches would be virtually useless, since very few fish below this size would in any case be put upon the market.