HL Deb 16 February 1977 vol 379 cc1740-1WA
Viscount THURSO

asked Her Majesty's Government:

  1. (1) Whether they will confirm that in the late summer of 1976 H.M.S. "Kellington", while on fishery patrol, came upon a fishing vessel (the "Spitfire", registered at Leith) apparently engaged in illegal fishing for salmon off the coast of Scotland near Dunbar; whether H.M.S. "Kellington" launched a fast boat to give chase to the "Spitfire", and then hauled aboard the net which the "Spitfire" had apparently abandoned; and whether the net was found to be some two miles in length and to contain a number of salmon.
  2. (2) If the above allegations are substantially, or even partially, true, why no action in the courts followed.

Lord WINTERBOTTOM

At 1.40 p.m. on 11th August, 1976, H.M.S. "Kellington" found two miles of salmon net off Dunbar. The fishing vessel "Spitfire" was in the area but subsequently denied ownership of the nets. The next day the nets were passed to the Receiver of Wrecks and the 26 salmon they contained were handed to the district fisheries inspector at North Shields.