§ Mr Marlowasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) which regulations encouraging the return of good fish to the sea emanate initially from the EEC and which emanate initially from the United Kingdom;
(2) whether he will make a statement on the regulations whereby it is of financial benefit for fishermen to return dead fish to the sea when they are caught in error;
(3) if he will make arrangements to enable fishermen who accidentally make catches of herring to land their fish and provide for their useful disposal.
§ Mr. Buchanan-SmithHer Majesty's Government have taken the view for many years that the effective enforcement of rules such as fishing bans and bycatch limits requires that fish covered by such bans or exceeding such limits should, if caught, be returned immediately to the sea, and that the contravention of this requirement should constitute an offence. We remain of this view. These requirements are included in United Kingdom law under section 5 of the Sea Fish (Conservation) Act 1967 (which superseded earlier similar legislation). Similar measures in respect of bycatches are now included in EEC regulations.