HC Deb 14 March 1985 vol 75 c425
8. Mr. Austin Mitchell

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what steps he is taking to reduce the 18 per cent. by-catch allowance to Danish industrial fishing boats to 10 per cent. and then to 5 per cent.

Mr. MacGregor

The Council regulation which provides a derogation allowing a white fish by-catch of 18 per cent. subject to a limit of 8 per cent. on species other than whiting, when fishing for Norway pout in the northern and central divisions of the North sea will expire on 31 May 1985. The permitted white fish by-catch will then revert to 10 per cent. for all species unless a decision is taken to the contrary.

Mr. Mitchell

Does the Minister concede that the pout box is there to protect the breeding grounds and the young, immature white fish which could be caught up in industrial fishing? Does he agree that a by-catch of 18 per cent. is a threat to the stocks and to our fishing industry? Does he further accept that the increase in the quota from 10 per cent. — which was assumed by our industry to be an integral part of the common fisheries policy settlement — was rushed through by the Commission in a way in which we never rush through conservation provisions? Does the Minister therefore accept that not only must the by-catch limit be cut and properly policed, but that there is a case for ending industrial fishing altogether?

Mr. MacGregor

I do not think that the increase in quota was rushed through, because we argued about it for five months. As a result of those arguments we managed to agree on substantial changes, including better sampling techniques, to enable us to ensure more rigorous enforcement, as has happened this year. The key consideration is the conservation of the stocks. That is what we have most in mind, and that is what we shall be examining if another proposal is made.

One of the reasons why we did not receive as much support as we might have expected last year is that the evidence shows that the quantities of haddock and whiting discarded in human consumption fisheries in recent years equate to, and in some years exceed, the quantity taken as a by-catch in industrial fisheries.