§ Mr. Hicksasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether the weekly quotas under the mackerel licensing scheme will be changed before the end of the year.
§ Mr. Buchanan-SmithIn view of the high level of the United Kingdom western mackerel catch so far this year, 275W we have decided to cut the weekly quotas under the mackerel licence so that, with effect from Sunday 14 December until Saturday 3 January 1981 inclusive, no licensed vessel on a weekly quota may land or tranship to an unlicensed vessel more than 70 tonnes of mackerel per week.
This is the same as the weekly quota level presently available to trawlers of less than 55 feet registered length. We are not suspending all licensed United Kingdom fishing for western mackerel in the interests of allowing some limited fishing to continue particularly by smaller vessels.