§ Lord Moranasked Her Majesty's Government:
Why they have not established a controlled fishery zone round South Georgia, though they have established one round the Falkland Islands; whether they are satisfied that the Convention for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR) adequately safeguards fish stocks (and consequently penguin populations) in that area; whether the last plenary meeting of CCAMLR agreed to British arguments for further conservation measures, and if so what these are.
§ The Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Lord Glenarthur)Conservation in the waters around South Georgia is covered by CCAMLR, in which the UK participates actively. CCAMLR does not extend to the Falklands.
The CCAMLR meeting held from 24th October – 4th November accepted our arguments that there should he no fishing around South Georgia for mackerel ice fish (the primary endangered species) until November 1989. The renewable resources assessment group of Imperial College is studying the fishery resources of the area on behalf of the South Georgia Government. and will naturally take this recent measure into account.