§ Mr. Buchanan-Smithasked the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the estimated cost of damage by seals to fish and fishing gear in 1968; and what evidence he has of damage by seals so far this year.
§ Mr. RossI would refer the hon. Member to the Answers which I gave to Questions on 19th June, 1968 by the hon. Member for Aberdeenshire, East (Mr. Wolrige-Gordon) and on 8th July, 1968, by the hon. Member for Banff (Mr. W. H. K. Baker); as I said then, more precise estimates in relation to individual years cannot be given. Reports from salmon netting stations, however, show a considerable increase in 1968 in the proportion of seal-damaged salmon in their catches and the number of seals sighted has also been higher than during the period to which previous estimates of the cost to the salmon industry were related.
It is too early in the season yet to have information about damage to salmon netting stations this year but cod net fisheries off Angus and Kincardine have suffered considerable damage to nets and catch. In one instance 24 boxes of fish out of a catch of 72 boxes had to be discarded because of seal damage.—[Vol. 766, c. 141–2; Vol. 768, c. 19.]