HC Deb 05 June 1992 vol 208 cc662-3W
Mr. Barry Field

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what assessment he has made of the findings of the Marine Conservation Society's survey of the dog whelk population.

Mr. Maclean

This survey is funded by the Department of the Environment and four annual reports have been received to date. The latest indicates that the effects of tributyl tin are still widespread around the United Kingdom coast, but suggests that there are indications that some populations are beginning to recover.

Mr. Barry Field

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects to publish his findings on the connection between tributyl tin and the decline of the dog whelk.

Mr. Maclean

Government-funded research on the effects of TBT on dog whelks has been carried out by the Plymouth marine laboratory, the Scottish Office Agriculture and Fisheries Department and the Marine Conservation Society. Contractors are encouraged to publish their results in the open scientific literature; so far more than 30 such reports have been produced.

Mr. Barry Field

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list those areas where the dog whelk colonies are(a) on the increase and (b) in decline.

Mr. Maclean

The dog whelk is the species showing the greatest sensitivity to TBT in United Kingdom waters. Despite gradual improvements in water quality since TBT-based paints were banned for use on small boats and fish farming equipment in 1987, dog whelks have not yet shown significant increases in population density. However, there is some evidence of limited improvement of breeding capacity at sites in Scotland (monitored by the Scottish Office Agriculture and Fisheries Department), on the south coast, including the Isle of Wight (monitored by Plymouth marine laboratory) and more generally around the United Kingdom coast (at sites surveyed by the Marine Conservation Society).