§ Baroness HORNSBY-SMITHasked Her Majesty's Government:
How many factory ships are operating off the south-west fishing ports; what is the estimated total catch currently being off-loaded directly onto these ships by trawlers fishing within the 12-mile limit; how this compares with the total catches landed in south-western ports; and what loss in landing charges this represents for the local ports.
Earl FERRERSI understand that some 36 foreign processing vessels are currently engaged in buying mackerel from United Kingdom fishing vessels off the South-West. The latest estimates, based on the returns so far available for this winter's fishery off the South -West, indicate that these processing vessels have purchased some 40,000 tonnes of mackerel from United Kingdom vessels fishing, while some 14,000 tonnes have been landed in the South-West.
The effect of transhipments on port landing charges cannot be reliably estimated: if transhipment facilities were not available, the quantities now transhipped 1520WA would not necessarily be landed in the South West, the total United Kingdom catch could be reduced and, in any event, landing charges are not the same at every quay. Moreover, transhipment operations generate revenue for the ports where they are carried out in the form of standing harbour charges.