HC Deb 14 March 1984 vol 56 cc390-2
39. Sir Hector Monro

asked the Solicitor-General for Scotland how many prosecutions there have been for illegal drift netting for salmon in the sea for the latest available year.

The Solicitor-General for Scotland

In the year ending 29 February 1984, 25 prosecutions were commenced in respect of offences involving illegal drift netting for salmon.

Sir Hector Monro

Does my hon. and learned Friend agree that if we are to stamp out poaching and stop salmon becoming an endangered species there will have to be many more prosecutions and the use of the protection vessels and aircraft? Will he consult his hon. Friends about the banning of drift netting off the English coast, where half the trouble begins?

The Solicitor-General for Scotland

My hon. Friend's latter point is not for me. In 1982 there were only two such cases. As I have said, in 1983 the number increased to 30, which led to 25 prosecutions. He may be interested to know that, as a result of these detections, no fewer than 71 illegal nets measuring 12.5 miles were seized. I hope that my hon. Friend will accept that the scale of the problem is well and truly understood. The Department for Agriculture and Fisheries in Scotland is heavily involved in ensuring proper enforcement of the law against illegal drift netting.

Mr. Steel

Will the Solicitor-General for Scotland respond more positively to the hon. Member for Dumfries (Sir H. Monro)? Will he consult his right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland and look at the annual report of the Tweed commissioners, which points out that only 32,000 fish were caught in the Tweed basin last year as against 70,000 officially recorded by drift netting and heaven knows how many unrecorded? Will they take joint action to reduce the scale of deprivation of salmon stocks in the sea when we ought to be supplementing the river stocks?

The Solicitor-General for Scotland

With regard to drift netting being illegal in Scottish waters, I hope that effective action will be taken to ensure that poaching does not continue to deplete vital salmon stocks. Obviously, the position south of the border is different and, together with the right hon. Member for Tweeddale, Ettrick and Lauderdale (Mr. Steel), I am very much aware of the views expressed on the matter by salmon fishing interests in Scotland.