HC Deb 26 January 1987 vol 109 c124W
Mr. Steen

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he expects to seek to amend regulation EEC 3094/86 with regard to the landing of detached crab claws by foreign vessels on British soil.

Mr. Gummer

EC conservation regulation No. 3094/86, which revised Community fisheries conservation rules, came into operation only on 1 January this year. It was not possible to secure Community agreement to the inclusion of a measure dealing with the landing of detached crab claws in this regulation, but we shall be seeking to raise the matter again when the Community next considers a general revision to the regulation. I am afraid this is unlikely to be in the near future.

Mr. Steen

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will take steps to amend the Undersized Crabs Order 1986 and the Crab Claws Prohibition and Landing Order 1986 in order that foreign vessels removing claws from undersized crabs would be subject to the same penalties in this country as British vessel owners engaged in similar practices; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Gummer

Under Community law an individual member state may not apply its national fishery laws to nationals and vessels of other member states and this was made plain to the fishing industry during the consultation process on the preparation of these Orders.

Mr. Steen

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many prosecutions there have been over the last 12 months of British registered vessels for landing claws of under-sized crabs caught within British territorial waters.

Mr. Gummer

There have been no prosecutions so far under the Crab Claws (Prohibition of Landing) Order 1986, which came into operation on 4 April 1986