§ Mr. Austin Mitchellasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what information he has about restrictions existing in France and Denmark on foreign fishing vessels registering as French or Danish; and what rights such vessels have to participate in French and Danish fishing quotas.
§ Mr. JoplingI understand that for a fishing vessel to be registered in France it must be at least 50 per cent. owned by French nationals resident in a territory of the French Republic for a minimum of six months a year. Where the vessel is company-owned, 51 per cent. of the shares must be held by French nationals; and personnel, for example the president of the board of directors, the majority of directors and all the general managers, must also be French nationals. Once a vessel is registered it is entitled to fish against the French quota.
In the case of Denmark, I understand that the entitlement to register a fishing vessel is confined to owners who are Danish nationals or are foreign nationals resident in Denmark. Where the owner is a body corporate, two thirds of the shares must be held by such persons. In order to fish against the national quota, a fishing vessel owner must also be registered and as a prerequisite to such registration he must be a Danish national or have lived in Denmark for at least two years and his income in the previous year must have been wholly earned from fishing.