§ Lord BOOTHBYMy 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 were the main points upon which agreement was reached at the recent international conference on the future of the herring fishing industry.
§ Lord STRABOLGIMy Lords, the proposals adopted at the recent meeting of the North East Atlantic Fisheries Commission included a total allowable catch of 160,000 tonnes (including a United Kingdom quota of 9,700 tonnes) for North Sea herring in 1976, a minimum landing size of 20 cm of herring for human consumption, and a total allowable catch of 10,850 tonnes (including a United Kingdom quota of 350 tonnes) for Celtic Sea herring in the year beginning 1st April 1976. 626 These proposals are open to objection by member countries and we shall consider our position—particularly that on North Sea herring—with the industry and in the light of action by other countries. The proposed catch of North Sea herring is more than the stock can safely stand, though it is nearer the safe limit than previous catch regulation agreements.
§ Lord BOOTHBYMy Lords, arising out of that Answer may I ask whether the noble Lord is aware that, before the last war, we exported over a million barrels of cured herrings a year to the Continent of Europe and Russia, and that the great fishings—the summer fishing off the North-East coast of Scotland and the autumn fishing off Yarmouth and Lowestoft—from which these fish were supplied, are now both extinct? The stocks of herring are rapidly diminishing and it is becoming a luxury fish, which is an outrage. Is the noble Lord further aware that this agreement will give great encouragement and satisfaction to the herring fishermen of Scotland and England and to those of us who have struggled to get this agreement over the last few years, because the agreement may herald the gradual recovery of what was once a great industry?
§ Lord STRABOLGIMy Lords, I am very grateful to the noble Lord for what he said, and there is much in what he said earlier. We are concerned about the future stocks of the North Sea herring, and that is one of the reasons why the Government pressed for no direct fishing for herring in the North Sea in the second half of this year. Unfortunately, our NEAFC partners do not agree to that.
§ Lord PEDDIEMy Lords, will my noble friend give an indication of to what extent the proposals of Her Majesty's Government coincided with the decision of the international conference with regard to the optimum herring catch? I am anxious to know what is the comparison between the decisions of the international conference and what was proposed by Britain.
§ Lord STRABOLGIMy Lords, with regard to the West Coast of Scotland there was agreement on the catch, which is 136,000 tonnes of which the United Kingdom is allowed 70,000 tonnes. With 627 regard to the North Sea, as I said in my Answer, the total allowable catch is 160,000 tonnes, which is still open to objection. The view of the Government is that a safe catch for conservation purposes is about 110,000 tonnes, of which the United Kingdom will be allowed 5,300 tonnes.
Lord CAMPBELL of CROYMy Lords, it is welcome news that agreement has been reached, but does the noble Lord consider that a general quota system is proving effective? Is he aware that it is regarded as suspect by British fishermen, because it is difficult both to make allocations which are thought to be fair by the industries of different countries, and to ensure that other countries are observing them? Should not the proposed exclusive economic zones now virtually agreed by the World Conference in New York lead to better arrangements?
§ Lord STRABOLGIYes, my Lords; the noble Lord is absolutely right in this. They have not yet been finally agreed, but it is hoped that agreement will be reached at Geneva in the summer, and what we are pressing for of course are 200 mile economic zones and within them we should have an up to 50 miles economic zone with our EEC partners, as put forward on 4th May by my right honourable friend Mr. Hattersley.
§ Lord GLENKINGLASMy Lords, in the context of the West Coast and conservancy of herring there, will the noble Lord look rather carefully at the position of the Firth of Clyde? I believe that this is one of the main breeding areas of herrings in that area, and I suspect that the Scottish Office has, for a number of years, failed to meet what the fishermen there believe to be damage to the future of the herring in that area.
§ Lord STRABOLGIYes, my Lords, I will certainly bring that matter to the attention of my right honourable friend. The West of Scotland stock occurs in the Minch and about 50 miles to the West of Lewis and Harris. We believe that an extention of the limit to 50 miles would give us full control over that.