§ Mr. GillTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, pursuant to his answer of 20 July 1999,Official Report, column 495, if he will list the average size and weight of the (a) undersized and (b) oversized fish corresponding to his answer on percentages by weight for cod, haddock and whiting. [94341]
§ Mr. MorleyThe average sizes and weights of the three species sampled as part of the 1997 CEFAS North Sea discard study are detailed in the following table.
Species Average of Discards below MLS Discards above MLS Cod Length (cms) 30.0 36.0 MLS=35 cms Weight (g) 277 455 Haddock Length (cms) 26.6 21.2 MLS=30 cms Weight (g) 175 279 Whiting Length (cms) 24.2 29.1 MLS=27 cms Weight (g) 114 202 The actual estimates of the proportions of discarded fish, by number that was undersized, was cod 82 per cent., haddock 57 per cent. and whiting 67 per cent.
By weight, the percentages were cod 73 per cent., haddock 46 per cent. and whiting 53 per cent.