§ Mr. Wolrige-Gordonasked the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) what evidence he has of the danger to fish stocks of worm infestation of fish from seals;
(2) what is his latest estimate of the amount of damage done to the fishing industry by the seals round the coast.
§ Mr. RossScientific research has shown a marked increase since the war in infestation of cod by a parasitic worm of which seals are the only known definitive host. While there is no danger to stocks of fish (and none to human142W beings if the fish are properly cooked), the occurrence of the worm adversely affects the marketability of the fish and the return to the catcher and others.
In addition, it has been estimated that seals round the Scottish coasts consume about 100,000 tons of fish each year, at least some of which would otherwise be caught. Although seal damage to the white fish industry cannot be costed, the loss to the Scottish salmon fishing industry has been put at between £50,000 and £100,000 each year.