§ Mr. OnslowTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will seek the advice of the National Rivers Authority on possible methods of combating crayfish plague.
§ Mr. GummerI have asked the National Rivers Authority for any advice the authority has to offer. This fungal disease established itself in many of our main crayfish rivers some years ago. Our view remains that practical controls for containing or eradicating crayfish plague—which attacks wild fish in their natural environment—would be very difficult to achieve and would be of doubtful effectiveness.