§ 3. Mr. Edward Evansasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement as to the reason for the failure of East Anglian herring fishing for the third consecutive year.
§ Mr. John HareSince 1955 there has been a shortage of the older fish in the East Anglian Fishery. There is so far no agreement among scientists as to the cause. This year there was also a falling off in the number of younger fish—the three-year olds—which appears to have been very largely attributable to a change in behaviour associated with natural causes.
§ Mr. EvansIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that the consensus of opinion among practical fishermen and those who have spent all their working lives in the industry is that the reason is the deplorable over-fishing of immature fish in the Southern North Sea? Is he aware that not millions but millions of millions of immature fish are taken out each year? This over-fishing is done by European countries, by Denmark, Holland and Belgium, and now the Poles and the Germans are coming in. Will he seek the establishment of an international convention to limit this terrible massacre of immature fish?
§ Mr. HareI have the greatest sympathy with what the hon. Gentleman says. I think that many of our own scientists would agree with his view that the cause is very largely over-fishing. On the question of an international convention, as the hon. Gentleman knows, there is to be a meeting next January to consider the possibility of including herring fishing in the 1946 Convention. I hope those international discussions will go favourably.
§ Mr. ChampionWill the right hon. Gentleman make very strong representations and ensure that we send a very strong delegation to the discussions so that these points can be pressed, for they are of immense importance to the fishing industry?
§ Mr. HareNaturally, I shall certainly ensure that our case is properly put. This is a very important matter indeed.