§ Mr. Roebuckasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what conclusion he has reached as a result of the 10 years' research by his Department into the effect of the oyster catcher on cockle fisheries.
§ Mr. HoyThe Ministry's research shows that oyster catchers are major predators of cockles. The damage is done mainly by wintering flocks on the coasts of Lancashire, Cheshire and North Wales and in the Burry Inlet, South Wales.
§ Mr. Roebuckasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how much has been spent by his Department over the last 10 years on research into the effect of the oyster catcher on cockle fisheries.
§ Mr. HoyApproximately £8,000 a year has been spent on cockle research, but it is not possible to separate the cost of research into the effects of oyster catchers from the costs of the other researches in which the team of scientists concerned has been engaged.
§ Mr. Roebuckasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is his estimate of the annual value of the cockle fishing industry.
§ Mr. HoyThe annual value of cockles harvested in England and Wales fluctuates but has risen from £91,000 to £136,000 in the last three years.