§ Mr. Nealeasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on the outcome of the Government's recent consideration of technical conservation measures for scallops in the Irish sea.
§ Mr. JoplingThe United Kingdom Fisheries Departments together with the Isle of Man Board of Agriculture and Fisheries reviewed in March the conservation measures in force in the scallop fisheries in the Irish sea, taking into account the results of previous studies by departmental scientists and a more recent study94W carried out by Liverpool university on behalf of the Isle of Man board. These indicated a marked decline in catch per unit effort between 1965 and 1984 and a higher proportion of immature scallops being landed than is desirable in the interests of the long-term yield and the conservation of the stocks. Following this review, proposals for the wider application of a higher minumum landing size than that laid down in the relevant European Community regulation and for the application over a wider area than hitherto of a close season for scallop fishing were circulated to the main organisations concerned in the catching and processing industries. In the light of the comments received from the industry, my right hon. Friends the Secretaries of State for Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland and I now propose to make orders under the Sea Fish (Conservation) Act 1967 as amended which would have the following effect:
- (i) to prohibit the landing by British fishing boats of scallops of a size of less than 110mm at all ports in Great Britain bordering the Irish Sea (this order will supersede the Immature Scallops (Wales) Order 1983 which already provides for a minimum size of 110mm for landings in Wales; this minimum size is also already in force in respect of landings in Northern Ireland under the Sea Fish (Minimum Size) Order (Northern Ireland) 1981 and of landings in the Isle of Man under Isle of Man Sea fisheries byelaws);
- (ii) to prohibit fishing for scallops by British-owned fishing boats from 1 June to 31 October in every year in an area of the Irish sea bounded to the west by longitude 5°15' west and to the south by latitude 53°45' north.
The proposed measures have been submitted to the European Commission for its approval as required by the relevant Community regulation. Subject to Commission approval, the necessary orders will be laid before Parliament at the earliest opportunity. The possible need for any adjustment of the area subject to the prohibition of fishing for scallops during part of the year will be kept under review in the light of any further information.