HC Deb 15 June 1944 vol 400 cc2165-6W
Lieut.-Colonel Elliot

asked the Minister of Agriculture what was the weight, in tons, of the white-fish catch landed in the United Kingdom from all sources and from British vessels, respectively, in each of the years 1935, 2936 and 1937; and what was the average number of British seamen employed at sea in prosecuting this fishing during these three years.

Mr. Hudson

The weights of fresh or frozen white fish landed in Great Britain during the years 1935, 1936 and 1937, respectively, were as follows:

1935 1936 1037
tons. tons. tons.
Landings by British Vessels 600,000 746,000 791,000
Landings by Foreign Vessels—
(a) direct from fishing grounds 27,000 23,000 20,000
(b) as cargo 33,000 31,000 34,000
Total 750,000 800,000 845,000

I am unable to state the precise number of fishermen engaged in prosecuting this fishing from ports in Great Britain during the years in question, but the total number of British fishermen regularly employed in those years averaged about 48,000, of whom some 22,500 were engaged in trawling and accounted for the bulk of the landings of white fish.