HL Deb 20 October 1975 vol 364 cc1145-6

2.52 p.m.

Baroness VICKERS

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 what action they are taking in relation to the Russian fleet "fishing" off the coast of Devon and Cornwall.

The MINISTER of STATE, DEPARTMENT of INDUSTRY (Lord Beswick)

My Lords, I understand that about 25 to 35 Russian vessels at a time have been fishing, mainly for mackerel, for some 6 to 8 weeks at distances of between 15 and 40 miles off the South-West Coast. This is, of course, in international waters, and the Russian vessels are free to fish in the area under international law. However, fishery protection vessels of the Royal Navy maintain a constant patrol to ensure that no foreign vessels fish within our 12-mile limit, whether they are vessels from the Soviet Union or from any other country.

Baroness VICKERS

My Lords, while thanking the noble Lord for that reply, may I ask him whether or not he thinks it very unsatisfactory that these Russian ships can come so near in, taking great hauls of mackerel, and that they also have a machine factory ship which can process in one day all the catch that local fishermen would get in a whole week? Surely further action can be taken! I should also like to know what happened to the ship which was brought in by the Royal Navy and, as I understand it, left to go free without any fine.

Lord BESWICK

My Lords, in answer to the latter part of the noble Baroness's supplementary question, I understand that one Russian trawler was stopped on 16th October while steaming inside the 12-mile limit with her gear not fully stowed and was escorted into Portsmouth. Investigations showed that she had not been fishing within the previous 12 hours and was on an ordinary passage to refuel. The skipper was given a warning about the regulations on stowage of gear but was allowed to proceed. No other incidents have occurred.

My Lords, as far as the first part of the supplementary question is concerned, the fact is that we, like the Soviet Union and other countries, are members of the North-East Atlantic Fishery Commission. They have a responsibility for enforcing quotas when those quotas are necessary. In the case of mackerel I understand there is no quota because no quota is thought to be necessary.