§ Andrew GeorgeTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent discussions she has had with her counterparts in(a) Scotland, (b) France, (c) Denmark and (d) other nations regarding the incidence of cetacean deaths in the English Channel and western approaches. [35477]
§ Mr. Morley[holding answer 12 February 2002]: In order to have an impact on the problem identified by the monitoring work, action will need to be taken—either by introducing mitigation measures or by other means—at EU level, as vessels from a number of member states are involved. Following consultation with the Scottish Executive, I have therefore written on 4 February to Commissioner Fischler to alert him to the need for action. I will be maintaining contact with the Commission and other member states to follow this up.
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§ Andrew GeorgeTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment she has made of the extent of cetacean bycatch in the(a) fair-trawl,(b) industrial trawl and (c) other pelagic fishery sectors in each of the last three years. [35478]
§ Mr. Morley[holding answer 12 February 2002]: Information on the full extent of cetacean casualties caused by fishing is not available.
The Department has commissioned sample monitoring of the incidental capture of cetaceans through a number of research contracts with the Sea Mammal Research Unit. This research has demonstrated that there is a cetacean bycatch problem in pelagic trawl fisheries. We are therefore pressing forward with trials of mitigation measures to reduce bycatch.
§ Andrew GeorgeTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what(a) recent work has been and (b) present work is being undertaken to discover the (i) extent and (ii) cause of cetacean deaths in recent (A) years and (B) months in the English Channel and western approaches. [35476]
§ Mr. Morley[holding answer 12 February 2002]: The Department funds a co-ordinated investigation carried out by The Natural History Museum in co-operation with the Institute of Zoology and the Scottish Agricultural College which aims to find out and record the cause of death of stranded cetaceans, what species, sex and length they are, and when and where they strand.
In January 2002, 75 cetacean strandings were reported along the coast of Cornwall, Devon and Dorset, with another eight animals reported along the coast of Hampshire and West Sussex. Post-mortem examinations were conducted on 34 of these cetaceans, 27 of which were found to have been bycaught, four were live strandings, and one died of pneumonia. In the rest of England and Wales, a further 19 cetacean strandings were reported. The number of strandings is not unusual for this time of year, taking account of the recent adverse weather conditions. Figures are not currently available for the latter months of 2001.
During the period from 1 January to 31 March in Great Britain, 155 cetaceans were reported as stranding in 2001 (of which 82 were in Devon and Cornwall), 125 in 2000 (of which 53 animals were found in Devon and Cornwall), 114 in 1999 and 113 animals were reported in 1998.
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Inventory of Woodland and Trees 1995–99 Woodland Census 1979–1982 Region/county Land area Woodland area (ha) Woodland cover (%) Land area Woodland area (ha) Woodland cover (%) Greater London 157.916 6,204 3.9 157,946 6,032 3.8 South-east Berkshire 125,879 18,308 14.5 125,891 17,018 13.5 Buckinghamshire 187,673 17,573 9.4 188,285 15,618 8.3 East Sussex 179,541 29,924 16.7 179,519 28,044 15.6 Hampshire 377,872 66,939 17.7 377,685 62,049 16.4 Isle of Wight 38,014 4,549 12.0 38,097 3,695 9.7 Kent 373,499 39,487 10.6 373,063 42,664 11.4 Oxfordshire 260,595 18,235 7.0 260,793 15,369 5.9 Surrey 167,713 37,564 22.4 167,924 31,531 18.8 West Sussex 198,808 37,507 18.9 198,939 34,524 17.4 Region 1,909,594 279,084 14.1 1,910,196 250,512 13.1 For Devon and Cornwall, from January 1991 to December 2001 post-mortem examinations were carried out on 186 dolphins, 75 per cent. of these were diagnosed as having died of bycatch, and 79 harbour porpoises, 48 per cent. of which were bycaught.