§ 82. Mr. Youngerasked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation whether he is aware that the losses at sea of fishing vessels have been rising in number while shipping losses generally have been falling; what action he is contemplating in this regard; and whether he will make a statement.
§ Mr. WatkinsonI do not think the figures of losses of fishing vessels at sea over recent years show any significant increase, though I gladly agree that those for shipping losses generally have been falling. The number of losses of fishing vessels in the first nine months of the current year seems to indicate a positive reduction. What is even more encouraging is that not a single life has yet been lost this year as a result of the loss of a fishing vessel.
In this inflatable liferafts have played an important part. They were used to rescue the crews of four vessels lost this year and without them many lives would undoubtedly have been lost. I have introduced Regulations, which came into force on 1st October, requiring the carriage of these rafts in all fishing vessels between 50 ft. and 145 ft. in length. An extension of this requirement to larger fishing vessels, most of which have already been voluntarily equipped with inflatable Liferafts, is under discussion with the industry.