§ Mr. John Mooreasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food why licences for British fishermen may be refused for reasons of conservation 69W whereas licences are granted to foreign trawlers.
§ Mr. Bishop,pursuant to his reply Official Report, 6th August 1976; Vol. 916, c. 1103], gave the following information:
The Government's licensing powers apply at present only to United Kingdom fishing vessels. They are mainly used to regulate fishing for species subject to internationally agreed conservation quotas, the enforcement of which is the responsibility of the individual Governments concerned. Within United Kingdom fishery limits conservation measures apply equally to vessels of foreign countries with rights of access under the common fisheries policy.
§ Mr. John Mooreasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many factory ships from Europe and the USSR have been serving fishing fleets in the North Sea this year.
§ Mr. Bishop,pursuant to his reply [Official Report, 6th August 1976; Vol. 916, c. 1103], gave the following information:
Russian factory ships and vessels with freezing and other processing capacity from France, the Netherlands, Poland, the Federal Republic of Germany and the German Democratic Republic are known to have operated in various parts of the North Sea this year but information about their numbers is not available.
§ Mr. John Mooreasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many beam trawlers from Europe and the USSR have been fishing in the North Sea this year.
§ Mr. Bishop,pursuant to his reply [Official Report, 6th August 1976; Vol. 916, c. 1103], gave the following information:
Beam trawlers from Belgium, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom are known to have fished in the North Sea this year but it is not possible to specify the number of vessels involved. Beam trawlers from other countries may also have worked in the area, but no sighting of any from the USSR have been recorded.
§ Mr. John Mooreasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what 70W steps are being taken to negotiate a mutually agreed conservation policy with other European countries.
§ Mr. Bishop,pursuant to his reply [Official Report, 6th August 1976; Vol. 916, c. 1103], gave the following information:
The Government participate fully, together with other interested European Governments, in the work of the various international fisheries commissions. For the future, the adoption of an adequate conservation regime is central to the reappraisal of the EEC's common fisheries policy which the Government are seeking.
§ Mr. John Mooreasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the Government's policy on conservation of fish stocks in the North Sea.
§ Mr. Bishop,pursuant to his reply [Official Report, 6th August 1976; Vol. 916, c. 1103], gave the following information:
It is the Government's policy to prevent overfishing and to promote the optimum rational utilisation of all the fish resources we exploit, and particularly those in waters adjacent to the United Kingdom. This can only be achieved by concerted international action and to this end the United Kingdom plays a full part in the work of the North East Atlantic Fisheries Commission. Looking to the future, the adoption of an adequate conservation regime will be an essential part of the reappraisal of the EEC's common fisheries policy.
§ Mr. John Mooreasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what consultations he has had with inshore and deep sea fishermen concerning the establishment of new fishing limits.
§ Mr. Bishop,pursuant to his reply [Official Report, 6th August 1976; Vol. 916, c. 1103], gave the following information:
I have nothing to add to the reply given to the hon. Member for North Fylde (Mr. Clegg) on 28th July 1976.—[Vol. 916, c 239.]
§ Mr. John Mooreasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what steps he is taking to protect the interests 71W of British fishermen against competition from foreign vessels.
§ Mr. Bishop,pursuant to his reply [Official Report, 6th August 1976; Vol. 916, c. 1103], gave the following information:
The Government support the concept of 200-mile fishery limits and are actively working for their adoption both internationally and within the EEC. The Government are pressing for a reappraisal of the EEC's common fisheries policy to meet the needs of the industry and consumers in the United Kingdom and are taking steps to improve the enforcement of conservation measures.
§ Mr. John Mooreasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) what is the policy of the Common Market on fishing limits;
(2) what is the Government's policy on establishing viable fishing limits around the British Isles.
§ Mr. Bishop,pursuant to his reply [Official Report, 6th August 1976; Vol. 916, c. 1103], gave the following information:
I have nothing to add to the statement made by my right hon. Friend the Minister of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs on 21st July and the reply he gave to the hon. Member for Shoreham (Mr. Luce) on 29th July 1976.—[Vol. 915, c. 1793–99, Vol. 916, c. 373.]