§ Mr. Beithasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what representations he has received from fishermen in Northumberland about the Dutch herring quota and the Longstone herring fishery; and what replies he has given.
§ Mr. BishopMy Department has received a letter from the Northumberland Fishermen's Federation concerning the possibility of exempting herring fishing in the Longstone area from the North Sea ban agreed by the EEC. I will arrange for a copy of my Department's reply to be sent to the hon. Member. The federation has also complained about the Community's decision to allocate 1,500 tonnes of North Sea herring to the Netherlands, and a copy of our reply is being sent to the hon. Member today.
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§ Mr. Beithasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what advice he received on the state of the Longstone herring fishery and its relationship to the main North Sea herring stock when he concluded that this fishery should be included in the general ban on fishing for herring.
§ Mr. BishopThis spawning stock is part of the North Sea herring stock, and the international scientific recommendation of a ban on fishing for North Sea herring in both 1977 and 1978 applies to the Longstone fishery.