HC Deb 05 April 1967 vol 744 cc58-9W
Mr. James Johnson

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement about the dangers to marine life from the use of emulsifiers to disperse oil from the "Torrey Canyon".

Mr. Peart

I regret that a recent Press article grossly miscalculated (by a factor of nearly 2,000) the concentration that would result from the amounts of emulsifier used and caused needless concern to those engaged in the fishing industry. I am glad to be able to confirm the accuracy of the reply given by my hon. Friend the Joint Parliamentary Secretary on 23rd March to a Question by the hon. Member for St. Ives (Mr. Nott). Although these chemicals are highly toxic, the risk to fish in the open sea is very small because of the enormous dilution that occurs. This is confirmed by the fact that fish caught in the area since the disaster took place have been perfectly wholesome, and very few dead fish have been found.

As my hon. Friend the Joint Parliamentary Secretary stated, care must be taken in the use of chemicals in estuaries and other places where dilution and dispersal is less, and oyster beds are therefore being protected by booms.—[Vol. 743, c. 323.]