§ Mr. McQuarrieasked the Secretary of State for Defence if he is satisfied that the forecasts prepared by the Meteorological Office for the use of fishermen are issued in a manner most suitable for use in the fishing industry.
§ Mr. PattieYes. A wide range of forecasts and weather bulletins tailored for the fishing and shipping industries is regularly broadcast through each 24 hours by the BBC and British Telecom coastal radio stations. These stations also broadcast gale warnings as necessary. In east Scotland a special three-day forecast service is broadcast by Aberdeen coast guard covering the sea areas Viking, Forties, Fisher and Fair Isle.
Fishermen at sea can contact the Meteorological Office by radio telephone at any time of the day or night to obtain a forecast. Together these facilities constitute an easily accessible and valuable free service for the fishing industry. In addition, specialised consultancy services for use when planning fishing operations may be obtained from Aberdeen Meteorological Office, for which a small charge is made.