§ Mr. Barry FieldTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what plans he has to extend the seeding of lobster stocks.
§ Mr. Donald ThompsonMy Department and the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries for Scotland have been closely involved in a series of lobster stock enhancement programmes in inshore waters in which tagged, hatchery-reared lobsters have been released and later recaptured in commercial fisheries. The initial results of these experiments are ecouraging. However, these studies will need to run for at least three years before firm conclusions can be reached or decisions taken on the value of extending this work.