§ Lord Mason of Barnsleyasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether in the light of the recommendation from the Select Committee on the European Communities on the Regulation of Drift Net Fishing (13th Report 1993–94, H.L. Paper 77, paragraph 51) that "… the committee doubts whether it would be in the United Kingdom's best interests to press for subsidiarity on this issue [drift net fishing in coastal waters] since this would deny the Government any share of control in other member states' waters over fish stocks returning to United Kingdom waters" they will reconsider their policy on this matter in general and on the issue of subsidiarity in particular.
Earl HoweThe Government accept the committee's view that the principle of subsidiarity is difficult to apply to migratory fish such as salmon: that is why all fishing for salmon outside the 12 mile limit is prohibited under the NASCO Convention and by Community law. However, the regulation of inshore fisheries for salmon has traditionally been the responsibility of the coastal state concerned and the Government do not believe that a case has yet been made for passing this responsibility to the Community.