§ Mr. Soamesasked the Secretary of State for Scotland what were the principal achievements of his Department in protecting salmon stocks in 1984.
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§ Mr. John MackayThe Department of Agriculture and Fisheries for Scotland has stepped up its efforts to enforce the ban on drift-net fishing for salmon in the sea off Scotland, with a considerable degree of success. This has been welcomed by the salmon interests.
The Government have been pressing for a curtailment of fishing for salmon on the high seas, and agreement was reached last year on a substantial reduction in the quota for the Greenland salmon fishery.
Power has been taken in the Inshore Fishing (Scotland) Act 1984 to prohibit fishing for salmon in the sea by means of specified nets set other than from a boat and to ban the carriage of certain types of nets by British vessels in Scottish waters. My right hon. Friend's Department is discussing the implementation of the provisions of that Act with the appropriate organisations.
The Department has continued its research into means of protecting and enhancing salmon stocks.