North Sea Cod (Hansard, 21 April 1983)

§ 6. Mr. John Townend
asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether a United Kingdom quota for North sea cod has been agreed for 1983.

§ Mr. Buchanan-Smith
Proposals for catch quotas for 1983 have not yet been submitted by the Commission to the Council of Ministers. Until 1983 quotas are settled the Council has agreed that fishing activities should continue to be based on agreed 1982 quotas.

§ Mr. Townend
Is my right hon. Friend aware that the livelihood of Bridlington fishermen largely depends on North sea cod? When negotiations are further advanced, will he ensure that the quota will be adequate to fish throughout the year, so that there is no danger of the boats having to tie up in December, when other species are not available, as has happened in the past?

§ Mr. Buchanan-Smith
My hon. Friend is right about the importance of that stock. I am sure that he will welcome, as the House does, the fact that for 1982 we negotiated a 47 per cent. quota of that stock for the United Kingdom. I hope that my hon. Friend has noted that such quotas have staying power. Once we know what the total allowable catches are, we shall continue to negotiate for a big share of them.

§ Mr. James Johnson
Will the Minister be good enough to tell us how the common fisheries policy has worked so far? To date, have there been any cases of poaching? What does the fishery protection squadron think about the behaviour of our partners in relation to the common fisheries policy?

§ Mr. Buchanan-Smith
It is too early to make a full assessment of exactly how a policy with such major implications is working. Without being in any way complacent, I would say that there have not been too many problems, particularly about poaching. As the hon. Gentleman knows, our protection forces have shown themselves to be thoroughly effective in several ways.

§ Mr. Austin Mitchell
Does the Minister accept that any cut in the North sea cod quota will be very badly received in Grimsby? Will he comment on the accuracy of reports that so many "paper" fish were created to up quotas to obtain a common fisheries settlement that draconian measures are now being considered to limit catches of North sea cod and other species? Will he accept that any restriction on catches, by limiting the period in the year during which British vessels can fish, would be a disastrous blow for a Grimsby and English fishing industry that is already crippled with debt, and very hard-pressed?

§ Mr. Buchanan-Smith
As I said a few minutes ago, I accept the importance of that stock to ports such as Grimsby. In return, I ask the hon. Gentleman to accept and acknowledge that, in the negotiations on the common fisheries policy, we negotiated a staying power for those quotas and intend to see that it is observed.