§ Mr. Kilroy-Silkasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is his latest information as to the quantity and type of fish taken from the sea around the Falkland Islands by foreign ships in the last 12 months; and if he will estimate the value of the catch.
§ Mr. RentonThe latest estimates available to us, based largely on aerial surveillance of fishing vessels within the Falkland Islands protection zone suggests that the quantity of fish taken within the protection zone during the period June 1984 to May 1985 was roughly 240,000 tonnes. The main species taken were squid, hake and southern blue whiting but the precise composition of the catch is not known. It is not in consequence possible on the basis of the information currently available to us to make any meaningful estimate of its total value.
§ Mr. Kilroy-Silkasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps he is taking to conserve fish stocks round the Falkland Islands; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. RentonAs I told my hon. Friend the Member for Epping Forest (Sir J. Biggs Davison) on 26 June at columns 408–9 we are currently working actively for the establishment of a multilaterally-based conservation and management regime around the Falkland Islands.