§ Mr. Austin MitchellTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will give details of any research commissioned or financed by him on square mesh panels as a means of conservation.
§ Mr. CurryWe are currently spending about £1.25 million a year on research related to fishing gear. Square mesh panels are one of the several options presently under investigation in our work to develop more selective fishing gear which will improve conservation by reducing the take of undersized fish. The marine laboratory of the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries for Scotland at Aberdeen has already undertaken, in addition to basic research on square mesh netting, a study on the behaviour of fish in codends with a square mesh panel and a further study on the process of capture in a seine net with various codends including one with a square mesh panel. This summer a study, in conjunction with the Shetland islands council, will investigate as part of a wider project the comparative catches of a codend with a square mesh panel and a conventional codend in a twin trawl. Depending upon the results further studies may then be made.
Further, the Government work with and fund work by the Sea Fish Industry Authority. In 1989–90 a trial was undertaken comparing the catches of a conventional 90mm trawl and one fitted with an 80mm square mesh panel and a further trial mainly looking at codend circumference and extension length also did some work on a square mesh panel. Further trials are taking place this summer in both trawl and seine nets and directed at haddock and cod as trials so far have focused on whiting. The effect of factors such as gear shape and towing on the openness of square mesh will also be studied. We also authorised an industry-led and funded trial to use 80mm square mesh panel rather than the minimum legal size of 90mm.