§ 17. Sir J. Gilmourasked the Secretary of State for Scotland what estimates he has made of the effects on the Scottish fishing industry of Iceland's fishery limits being extended to 50 miles; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Buchanan-SmithThe effects of exclusion from the Icelandic grounds would undoubtedly be serious for the United Kingdom fishing industry as a whole, but I am afraid it is not possible at present to make a precise estimate of the possible effects on any particular sector of the industry.
§ Sir J. GilmourIn view of what my hon. Friend says about the undoubted devastating financial effects on the Scottish fishing industry of the extension of the limits, will he urge everyone to co-operate in resisting Iceland's demand for an extension, otherwise the limits will 1570 be extended by other countries such as the Faroe Islands?
§ Mr. Buchanan-SmithIf the worst happened, our deep sea fishing boats from places like Granton and Aberdeen would be fishing in inshore waters, which would have tremendous adverse effects on Scotland's inshore fleet. The attitude of the Scottish National Party in supporting the 50-mile limit is incomprehensible in view of the realities of the Scottish fishing situation.
§ Mr. Ronald King MurrayI associate the Opposition with the point made by the hon. Member for Fife, East (Sir J. Gilmour). In this situation of an almost inevitable decline in the Scottish fishing industry, may I stress to the Under-Secretary of State the importance of devoting more public money to research into fish farming?I am advised that in the long term it has excellent prospects of success but that what is needed is financial support. This might have the additional advantage of serving notice on the Icelandic Government that if fish farming is a success they may in future be looking for markets.
§ Mr. Buchanan-SmithI accept what the hon. and learned Gentleman said about fish farming, into which the White Fish Authority is doing research. The Government are helping and there are a number of private individuals and private firms involved in it. However, despite the possibilities of fish farming, what concerns me is that in the Scottish inshore fishing industry we have an extremely healthy and prosperous industry which gives employment in areas where very few alternative forms of employment are available, and we must view very seriously indeed anything which might hurt it.
§ Mr. Donald StewartWill the hon. Gentleman accept that it was the extension of the Icelandic limits which brought about the original extension to 12 miles which benefited the inshore fishermen and that Britain was the last North Sea nation to extend the limits round the British Isles? Will he refrain from accepting the advice of his hon. Friend the Member for Fife, East (Sir J. Gilmour)? The contrary view should be accepted. It ill becomes the hon. Gentleman to speak in the way he has because the Government sold out 1571 the fishery interests in the Western Isles even before they knew what the EEC terms were. The hon. Gentleman should not cast aspersions on the Scottish National Party.
§ Mr. Buchanan-SmithI would listen to the hon. Gentleman if he understood the realities of the fishing situation, but the fact that his party makes such statements about the Western Isles, saying that the whole of the Minch would be open to foreign fishing when it would not, shows how little it understands the industry. That is why it is important to put the record straight.