HL Deb 27 November 1969 vol 305 cc1383-5
THE EARL OF CROMARTIE

My Lords, I beg leave to ask the Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.

[The Question was as follows:

To ask Her Majesty's Government, in view of the fact that Denmark, Sweden and West Germany have declined to accept the recommendations of the International Commission for North-West Atlantic Fisheries and the North-East Atlantic Fisheries Commission with regard to fishing for salmon in the high seas, what action they propose to take; and, in particular, whether they would consider placing some restriction on Danish imports to the United Kingdom.]

THE LORD ADVOCATE (LORD WILSON OF LANGSIDE)

My Lords, the objections lodged by these countries mean that the recommendation affecting the North-East Atlantic is not binding on any country and the position is similar in the North-West Atlantic. The action to be taken now is a matter for careful consideration, in conjunction with countries which share our views, and Her Majesty's Government are at present studying the possibilities, including the statement by Denmark that she is prepared to discuss other less far-reaching conservation measures than a total ban. On the question of restriction on Danish imports, we must of course have due regard to our international obligations, which, as the noble Earl is aware, generally preclude the application of import restrictions except for balance-of-payments reasons

THE EARL OF CROMARTIE

My Lords, while thanking the noble Lord for his reply, which does not get us very far, may I ask whether he is aware that this irresponsible and greedy policy of the Danish Government may well lead to the extinction of the Atlantic salmon, as so very nearly happened in the case of the Pacific sockeye.

LORD WILSON OF LANGSIDE

My Lords, I do not think that what the noble Earl has said correctly represents the situation as understood by Her Majesty's Government.

THE EARL OF DUNDEE

My Lords, is it not the case that if North Atlantic salmon stocks were to be destroyed both the Baltic countries and Greenland would in the long run suffer just as much as anyone else? And can the noble Lord say whether the refusal of these countries to accept this recommendation is simply because they do not think the evidence is yet sufficiently complete, or is there any other reason?

LORD WILSON OF LANGSIDE

My Lords, so far as the first part of the noble Earl's Question is concerned, there is a difficulty in the way of answering it unequivocally. So far as the second part of the Question is concerned the answer is, Yes.

LORD BOOTHBY

My Lords, may I ask the noble Lord, the Lord Advocate, whether Her Majesty's Government are themselves convinced that fishing for salmon in the North Atlantic as it is being conducted now has a serious deleterious effect on the stocks of salmon coming to spawn in the rivers of the United Kingdom?

LORD WILSON OF LANGSIDE

My Lords, the answer to the noble Lord's Question is, Yes.

LORD FRASER OF LONSDALE

My Lords, is it not clear that this is the best market or the richest market for selling salmon? Is there any reason why we should support the Danish trade to the extent that we do while they rob us of our salmon?

LORD WILSON OF LANGSIDE

My Lords, in these matters we have to consider all our international obligations, and in particular those under GATT.