§ 2.54 p.m.
§ [The Question was as follows:
§ To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they consider any alteration has been made in the territorial waters of Great Britain in consequence of the Norwegian Fisheries decision at The Hague and, in particular, whether Her Majesty's Government now consider the whole of the Moray Firth to be territorial waters so far as fishing rights are concerned.]
THE PARLIAMENTARY UNDER-SECRETARY OF STATE FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS (THE MARQUESS OF READING)My Lords, there has been no alteration in the limits of British territorial waters. The recent judgment of the International Court of Justice in the Anglo-Norwegian fisheries case settled only the limits of the Norwegian fisheries zone, but the Court expressed certain basic principles and general considerations which a State may take into account in delimiting its territorial waters. The judgment generally endorsed the Norwegian claim that the base line from which the belt of territorial waters and exclusive fishery limits are measured may consist of a series of straight lines joining outer headlands, islands and rocks, provided they are reasonably drawn and follow the general direction of the coast. Her Majesty's Government are at present considering what effect the judgment should have on British practice in this matter.
In this connection, so far as the United Kingdom is concerned Her Majesty's Government must have regard, among other things, to the provisions of the North Sea Convention, 1882, and other fisheries conventions to which the United Kingdom is a party, in which exclusive fishery limits are defined. The position of the Moray Firth will be included in the examination, but until the examination has been completed it is not possible for Her Majesty's Government to determine their future policy with regard to the matter generally or to the Moray Firth in particular. There are so many 8 ramifications in connection with this judgment, both in regard to its own terms and in regard to its effect upon existing conventions, that the noble Lord will, I am sure, realise that it is not possible to give him a definite reply at this stage. I will, however, if I may, let him know in due course as soon as I am in a position to give him a more precise answer, and thus afford him the opportunity to put down a further question.
§ 2.58 p.m.
LORD SALTOUNMy Lords, I should like to thank the noble Marquess for his full reply. May I ask one supplementary question? Having regard to the importance of these waters for our food supplies and as a breeding ground for fish, and the damage to the spawn caused by foreign trawling, which we do not prevent, do not Her Majesty's Government think it of importance that some paramount authority should be provided for the area within the lines from Duncansby Head to Kinnaird Head, and will they consider what steps should be taken to establish such an authority?
THE MARQUESS OF READINGMy Lords, this is an intricate problem and I am sure that the noble Lord would not expect that I should give him a precise answer at this stage. What I can assure him is that the points which he has raised in his supplementary question will be brought to the attention of the Ministers concerned when they are considering the entire problem.
LORD STRABOLGIMy Lords, will the noble Marquess bear in mind that the British fishing industry is very closely affected by any decision regarding the Moray Firth, and that, if we limit the fishing area in the Moray Firth outside the three mile limit, we give away our whole case in other valuable fishing waters in Northern Europe?
THE MARQUESS OF READINGI have said that this in an intricate problem and there are many aspects of it which will have to be considered. It may well be that the point which the noble Lord has raised will be one among them.