§ Mr. Onslowasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what information he has as to the cost involved in buying in all commercial netting rights for salmon in England and Welsh coastal waters; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. MacGregorThere is a public right of fishing in the majority of coastal and estuarial waters around England and Wales. While salmon fishing in these waters is regulated by such methods as licensing, the buying in of these rights would require substantial modifications to our fisheries legislation. Given the extensive nature of the public rights and the absence of any central record of privately owned commercial netting rights for salmon, it is not possible to estimate what the cost of buying in all these rights might be.
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§ Mr. Onslowasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what action he has taken to identify the English rivers where the escapement of spawning salmon is insufficient to maintain wild stocks; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. MacGregorMy Department is in regular contact with the water authorities whose duty it is to maintain, improve and develop the salmon fisheries in their areas. While concern has been expressed about recruitment levels on the Yorkshire Esk, the Lune and the Torridge, I am not aware of any case in which the escapement of spawning salmon is insufficient to maintain stocks.