HC Deb 07 November 1973 vol 863 cc190-1W
Mr. Maclennan

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland at which Scottish ports industrial fishing landings are made; and what is the total weight of these landings per annum to the nearest convenient date.

Mr. Gordon Campbell

Landings of industrial species, mainly Norway pout, are made by British and foreign vessels at Fraserburgh, Lerwick, Peterhead and Stornoway. Details for the year ended 31st October 1973 are as follows:

British vessels Foreign vessels
cwt. '000 £ '000 cwt. '000 £ '000
Fraserburgh 144 234 16 19
Lerwick 123 175 275 362
Peterhead 14 13
Stornoway 159 279
Totals 426 688 305 394

Mr. Maclennan

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will reduce the permitted proportion of undersized commercial species in industrial fishing catches from 10 per cent. by weight to 5 per cent.

Mr. Gordon Campbell

To be effective, such a change would have to be applied internationally. At the request of the United Kingdom, the recommendations of the North-East Atlantic Fisheries Commission on the subject will be reviewed by the commission in May 1974.

Mr. Maclennan

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if, to ensure that the regulations governing industrial fishing are strictly observed, he will require onboard inspection of catches.

Mr. Gordon Campbell

The arrangements by which the United Kingdom maintains close supervision of industrial fishing include on-board inspections of vessels fishing for this purpose. These indicate that the industrial fishing regulations are generally being observed.

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