§ Mr. EVERARDasked the Minister of Agriculture whether he has any information as to dissatisfaction being felt by lobster fishermen in the north-eastern sea fisheries district regarding the by-laws imposed; whether a Government commission has been set up; and, if so, when it is likely to report?
Mr. GUINNESSI am aware that the North Eastern Sea Fisheries Committee received in May last a petition from certain lobster fishermen protesting against that Committee's by-law, which prohibits the removal from a fishery of any lobster less than nine inches in length. I understand that the Committee decided to take no action on the petition in view of the fact that the whole matter is under consideration by the Interdepartmental Committee, set up by my predecessor and my right hon. Friend the Secretary for Scotland, to inquire into the whole question of crab and lobster fisheries. This Interdepartmental2134W Committee has drawn up an interim report dealing with lobsters which, will shortly be published.