§ Mrs. Ray MichieTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) what investigation her Department has carried out regarding alleged smuggling of undersized fish by other EC countries in British waters; and if she will make a statement;
(2) what discussions she intends to have with other EC member states with regard to breaches in EC fishing regulations within British waters.
§ Mr. JackThe rules of the common fisheries policy are enforced on vessels of all nationalities in United Kingdom waters through an extensive programme of inspections, both at sea and in port. Prosecutions in the United Kingdom of infringements by other member states' vessels are notified to the flag state. There is close liaison between United Kingdom fishery officers and the enforcement authorities in a number of other EC states, and we are working to strengthen and extend these further. I raised the question of undersize fish and enforcement issues when I met the EC Fisheries Commissioner Yannis Paleokrassas on 12 October 1993.
§ Mrs. Ray MichieTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what plans she has to raise the matter of alleged Spanish pirate fishing fleets operating in British waters with the Spanish Government and the EC; if she will give details of the actions her Department will take; and if she will make a statement.
§ Mr. JackI sent a copy of the television programme in which the allegations were made to the EC Fisheries Commissioner and the Spanish Fisheries Minister. I subsequently met the Commissioner on 12 October and was much heartened by his very positive response. He shares my concern to secure more consistent enforcement of fisheries policy throughout the Community and to find new ways in which there could be co-operative joint efforts to ensure that all member states give a higher priority to effective enforcement provisions. I shall be continuing to press this matter with my colleagues in other member states.