§ 27. Mr. M. MacMillanasked the Secretary of State for Scotland what steps are being taken to restore the herring fishing this year in the Islands of Barra and Eriskay; and whether it has yet been decided to establish a herring processing plant at Castlebay.
§ Mr. J. StuartRepeated efforts since the war have failed to locate any large shoals of summer herring off Barra; in autumn and winter most of the herring from the Barra grounds are landed at mainland ports where there is access to the home market. The Herring Industry Board do not consider the landings likely to be made at Castlebay would justify the provision of herring processing plant.
§ Mr. MacMillanIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that if there were a processing plant at Barra it would not be necessary for the fishermen to make these uneconomic journeys to the mainland to sell their fish; and will he not get in touch with the Herring Industry Board to consider having plant on an appropriate scale to what herring there is?
§ Mr. StuartI agree that landing on the mainland does add to their journey, but, as I hope the hon. Gentleman will agree, it would only be a sound proposition to build a plant if we knew that a sufficient number of herring would be landed.
§ Mr. BoothbyIs my right hon. Friend not aware that the Castlebay herring cures into an article of a succulence and delicacy of taste without equal in the world, for which there is a tremendous demand in the United States of America; and will he ask the Herring Industry Board to pay special attention to this, because we get, and rightly get, far higher prices for these herring than for any others?