HC Deb 27 November 1989 vol 162 cc132-3W
Mr. Trotter

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food to what extent English fishermen have been denied part of the 1989 haddock quota as a result of overfishing in Scotland; what steps he proposes to take to prevent a recurrence; and what proposals he has to compensate the fishermen concerned by increasing their future quotas at the expense of those who overfished or otherwise.

Mr. Curry

Catches to 11 November (latest available) show that three Scottish groups and one English group exceeded their allocations by 1,257 tonnes and 75 tonnes respectively. As a result the following groups (which contain both English and Scottish members) were prevented from taking 1,172 tonnes of their allocations: Anglo-Scottish Fish Producers Organisation Ltd., the non-sectoral group, and the group comprising vessels of 10 metres and under. In addition two Scottish groups were unable to take their full allocations. Fisheries Departments have recently consulted the industry about arrangements for the 1990 fishery, and it was agreed that compensation should be available to groups disadvantaged by the overfishing of others. Fisheries Departments will continue to monitor uptake in 1990 and will withdraw licences from any group which they estimate has taken its allocation.

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