§ Mr. JackTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on his scientists' 1997 assessment of the state of fish stocks which are subject to annual consideration in terms of total allowable catches and community quotas; and if he will list the changes in that assessment from the 1996 assessment. [16380]
Dr. John CunninghamThe scientists of the Ministry's agency, the Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science, monitor fish stocks in order to contribute to the annual assessments made by the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES). The 1997 ICES' assessments are expected to be published shortly.