§ 17. Mr. Buchanan-Smithasked the Secretary of State for Scotland what consultations he has had with the National Trust regarding damage by seals to fishing on the east coast of Scotland; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. BuchanNone directly, but my right hon. Friend has been closely associated with the arrangements for the meeting of scientists to which my hon. Friend the Joint Parliamentary Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food referred in the Answer he gave on 28th February. This meeting will consider, among other things, evidence, to which the fisheries scientists of my Department have contributed, about damage done by seals to Scottish salmon and inshore fisheries.—[Vol. 759, c. 1397–8.]
§ Mr. Buchanan-SmithIn view of the damage to fishing nets which continues to take place, can the hon. Gentleman show more urgency about this? There has been a good deal of talk about this recently but little has been done.
§ Mr. BuchanOne of the problems is that the National Trust is the owner of the Fame Islands and it has not allowed such a cull to be carried out. We are not the owners and it is a matter for discussion between the National Trust and the Ministry of Agriculture.
§ Mr. BakerIs the hon. Gentleman aware that the seal acts as an alternative 422 host to a parasitic worm in the haddock which leads to a significant reduction in the stocks of haddock as a direct result of the increase in the number of seals?
§ Mr. BuchanI have discussed this problem with the scientists and have seen the work being done.