Fisheries Council (Hansard, 6 November 1991)

§ Mr. Curry

I attended the EC Council of Fisheries Ministers on 28 October 1991 with my noble Friend, the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Scottish Office.

This specially convened Council met to discuss the 10th, 11 th and 12th amendments to the Community's technical conservation measures regulation 3094/86. The measures which the Council agreed were primarily designed to reduce the catches of immature fish to secure better conservation of fish stocks and to control strictly the use of drift nets. The measures will come into effect on 1 June 1992.

In the North sea and west of Scotland areas there will be an increase in the minimum mesh size from 90 mm to 100 mm diamond mesh. Additionally, all EC fishermen may use a 90 mm square mesh panel; the acceptance by the Community of the value of such a panel, which we introduced unilaterally this summer, for the benefit of the conservation of fish stocks is very welcome. Further, new net design specifications which we worked out with the industry will be introduced to prevent the ballooning of nets and so improve selectivity.

These changes in mesh size and new net design are major steps forward in the conservation of cod and haddock stocks which are of great importance to this country but currently at a low ebb.

A derogation from the 100 mm mesh provision will permit the use of 90 mm diamond mesh only in respect of a directed whiting fishery for which there must be a minimum percentage of 50 per cent. whiting and a maximum percentage of 10 per cent. cod, haddock and saithe. The details will be subject to review in the first half of next year in the light of trials being conducted this year.

In the Irish sea we achieved the increase in mesh size from 70 mm to 80 mm which we and our industry have been pressing for and which should lead to better conservation.

In the North sea the derogation provisions in respect of sole are to be rationalised to allow vessels to use 80 mm mesh all year round south of 55ºN with a minimum percentage of sole of 5 per cent. and no than 10 per cent. cod, haddock or saithe. This should ease enforcement and the introduction of a minimum percentage of sole, which previously did not apply to the large beam trawls, should also assist conservation.

There will be a uniform mesh size of 40 mm, instead of the 16 or 32 mm requirement, for fishing for the pelagic species of herring, mackerel, horse mackerel, blue whiting, pilchard and squid. Associated with this mesh size will be a minimum percentage of 50 per cent. for any one of these species or a minimum cumulative percentage of 80 per cent. of a mixture of these species. The maximum percentage of other protected species will be 10 per cent.

In order to reduce the waste of fish by discarding, it will be prohibited for vessels using purse seines or towed gear to carry automatic sorting equipment on when fishing for mackerel, herring and horse mackerel. This rule will not apply to freezer vessels but the sorting equipment on such vessels will have to be installed and used under strictly controlled rules.

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There will be a number of changes in minimum landing sizes of fish. These will include whiting reduced from 27 cm to 23 cm in line with the new directed fishery, 20 cm introduced for mackerel (except 30 cm in the north sea), 15 cm for horse mackerel and 110 mm for scallops (Pecten spp.) in ICES division VIId. It will be permitted to land only entire scallops and not parts, which is designed to prevent the landing of undersized scallops.

We rejected the proposal put to the Council that there would be an automatic increase in mesh sizes in 1995. The Council will instead consider a proposal in due time from the Co mmission, to be made if scientific analysis confirms that stocks have not been restored, to increase mesh sizes from 100 mm to 110 mm in the North sea and west of Scotland and from 65 mm to 80 mm in the region from the bay of Biscay southwards from 1 January 1995.

A number of other changes to rationalise the very detailed technical conservation measures regulation and to upgrade conservation aspects were also in the final package.

Most importantly the Council agreed, in response to the United Nations Resolution on large-scale drift nets, that Community vessels should not be able to use drift nets longer than 2.5 kilometres wherever they fish. The only exception to this will be those vessels which have been fishing in the north-east Atlantic tuna fishery for two years or more. No United Kingdom vessel meets this qualification. Qualifying vessels may, until 31 December 1993, use up to 5 km of net which is less than the nets of up to 8 or 10 km which have been in use. The nets are to be submerged 2 metres in depth to help avoid the catch of dolphins and porpoises. The fishery will be closely monitored throughout and in 1993 the data obtained will be reviewed. Unless it is shown that the fishery is not environmentally damaging the derogation will cease at the end of 1993. This important decision means there can be no development of large scale drift netting by European Community vessels anywhere in the world.

There are a few elements in the package which we fought strongly against, in particular the whiting derogation and reduction in the minimum landing size for whiting. However, the Government believe that it would have been wrong to oppose what is otherwise a very good package, which incorporates gains which we have sought for two years.

We have secured a substantive and positive basis on which to work for the recovery and stability of fish stocks for the longer-term benefit of the fishing industry.