§ Mr. McQuarrieasked the Secretary of State for Scotland when the mid-term review will take place of the North sea haddock total allowable catch; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. John MacKayThe Advisory Committee on Fishery Management (ACFM) will be reviewing the state of the North sea haddock stock during the course of its annual meeting in May. We shall consider the case for seeking an increase in the 1987 total allowable catch for this stock once ACFM's advice is available.
§ Mr. McQuarrieasked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will investigate the compatibility of provisions of European Economic Community Regulation No. 4027/86 with the common fisheries policy in relation to the allocation to a member state of its own quotas; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. John MacKayI am satisfied that the EC regulation 4027/86, which gives power to the Commission to close a fishery when the total allowable catch has been reached, is entirely compatible with quota allocation policies. As I told my hon. Friend on 26 November 1986, at column252, it is the Commission's objective in exercising this control to conserve stocks, adjusting quotas in the year following infringement to compensate those who have suffered at the expense of offenders.