§ Mr. Adleyasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what was the outcome of the Fisheries Council meeting on 20 June; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. JoplingTogether with my hon. Friend the Minister of State in my Department and the Minister of State at the Scottish Office I represented the United Kingdom at the meeting of the Council of Fisheries Ministers on 20 June, 1983.
The Commission presented a number of revised proposals to the Council immediately before the meeting and it was therefore possible for Ministers to give only preliminary comments at that stage.
I nevertheless took the opportunity to emphasise the needs of the United Kingdom fleet for adequate quotas, notably of herring, mackerel and cod, and to press for improvements in the technical conservation rules. There was general recognition that in the more normal conditions that will apply next year, it will be essential for the 8W Commission to make its proposals and the Council to settle total allowable catches and quotas very much earlier than has been possible this year.
The Council will resume discussion of the proposals early in July.