HC Deb 12 May 1976 vol 911 cc188-9W
24. Sir John Gilmour

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he is satisfied that adequate protection for the stocks of herring round the Scottish coasts is being provided by international agreement.

Mr. Hugh D. Brown

So far as concerns herring off the west coast of Scotland, I am satisfied that the total allowable catch of 136,000 tonnes for 1976, which has been accepted by all member States of the North-East Atlantic Fisheries Commission, is giving reasonable protection to the stock, which is of major interest for the United Kingdom. In the North Sea, the total catch of 160,000 tonnes for 1976 recently adopted by the commission still entails great dangers to the stock, though it is an improvement on previous catch regulation proposals.

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