HC Deb 18 July 1995 vol 263 cc1058-9W
Mr. Wallace

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what action he intends to take to ensure that exploitation rates for sandeels in the North sea are established at an early date in order to secure stocks within safe biological limits. [34916]

Mr. Baldry

The Government pressed successfully for last month's North sea conference to make commitments to investigate the possible effects of industrial fishing on the sustainability both of industrial fish species such as sandeels and of other species which feed on them. I shall press for this work to be done as soon as possible to inform future decisions on exploitation rates.