§ Mr. WrayTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what research his Department is currently sponsoring into the problem of pollution in the fishing grounds lying between the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland.
§ Mr. GummerMy Department carries out extensive monitoring and research in the Irish sea to assess the effects on fishery resources and food pathways to man of both radioactive and non-radioactive discharges. These studies include assessment of water quality, the chemistry of contaminated sediments, the distribution of fish diseases, and the monitoring of fish and shellfish quality. Results indicate that discharges have no significant impact on fish stocks in the Irish sea.