§ Mr. Deakinsasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what estimate he has made of the likely reduction in annual weight of fish landed by the United Kingdom inshore fishermen in the event of the Common Fisheries Policy applying between the six and 12-mile limits.
§ Mr. PriorIt is not possible to estimate what, if any, change would result from common access to our six to 12-mile belt (which is estimated to have provided our inshore fleet with less than a quarter of their 1970 catch) even if it were possible at this stage to say, for example, whether British and other fishermen would alter their present patterns of operation and with what conservation measures all would have to comply. But extensive fishing is, of course, already being carried on in that belt by fishermen from several members and potential members of the European Economic Community.