§ Mr. Masonasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many offences under the Salmon 37W and Freshwater Fisheries Act involving salmon poaching have been dealt with by the courts in North Yorkshire in the last 12 months; if he will list offences concerned and the penalties imposed: and in how many cases the penalty imposed was the maximum for the offence.
§ Mr. Buchanan-SmithI understand from the Yorkshire water authority that in the year ending 31 May 1982, 23 offences involving salmon poaching were dealt with by the courts in North Yorkshire. The types of offence and penalties imposed were as follows:
Type of offence Number of offences Penalty imposed (fines) Using or intending to use an unlicensed net for fishing for salmon or migratory trout 5 £25; £25; £50; £100; £100 Fishing for or taking salmon or migratory trout during the close season 6 £20; £20; £50; £50; £100; £100 Possession or use of a light for taking salmon or migratory trout 4 £30; £30; £50; £75 Possession or use of a gaff 5 £30; £30; £30; £50;£75 Fishing in a prohibited area 2 £40; £40 Carrying an unlicenced net in a boat 1 £25 In none of these cases was the penalty imposed the maximum for the offence.
§ Mr. Masonasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many illegal fishing nets have been discovered on the River Esk, North Yorkshire, and other rivers in that region during the last five years.
§ Mr. Buchanan-SmithI understand that the numbers of illegal nets found by the Yorkshire water authority on the River Esk in each of the last five years are as follows: 1977, 40; 1978, 80; 1979, 100; 1980, 157; 1981, 180. No illegal nets were discovered in any of the other rivers covered by the Yorkshire water authority in the period 1977–81.
§ Mr. Masonasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many illegal fishing nets have been discovered in each of the water authority regions during the last 12 months.
§ Mr. Buchanan-SmithThis information is not currently available to me. However, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales and I are asking each of the water authorities for details and I shall write to the right hon. Member as soon as possible with the information.
§ Mr. Masonasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he has any proposals in mind to check the illegal netting of salmon and trout in the rivers of England and Wales; and if he will make a statement.
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§ Mr. Buchanan-SmithI have nothing further to add at this stage to the reply I gave to the right hon. Member's question on 4 May.—[Vol. 23, c.59.]
§ Mr. Masonasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many letters he has received as a result of the day of protest against the use of nylon monofilament gill nets; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Buchanan-SmithI have received about 6,500 letters. I refer the right hon. Member to the very full reply which I gave to his questions on 14 June 1982.—[Vol. 25, c.210.]