Mr. MorelyTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, (1) if he has received a copy of the interim report of the observer programme, conducted on370W the United Kingdom drift net fishery for albacore tuna in the summer of 1995, under contract to his Ministry; if he will make a statement on the results; if he will place a copy of the report in the Library; [4040]
(2) if he will make the results of the observer programme of the United Kingdom tuna drift net fishery available to the European Commission, and to the members of the Council of Fisheries Ministers, prior to their next meeting on 21 December; [4041]
(3) if he will make a statement on results of the observer programme of the United Kingdom tuna drift net fishery in respect of (a) the by-catch of dolphins and other species and (b) the adequacy of current EU regulations, limiting drift nets to 2.5 km in length, to protect non-target species. [4045]
§ Mr. BaldryWe have just received and are studying an interim report by the sea mammals research unit of the Natural Environment Research Council on the UK's 1995 tuna drift net fishery. I will place a copy in the Library of the House together with the Ministry's analysis of it. The report will also be made available to the Council of Ministers and the European Commission.