§ Mr. HarrisTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he intends to amend the regional minimum landing sizes for edible crabs as proposed by his Department in November 1988; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. CurryFollowing careful consideration of the comments received from the fishing industry and other interests on the consultative proposals published in November 1988, the Fisheries Ministers have decided that a number of changes should be made to the provisions of the Undersized Crabs Order 1986.
From 1 January 1990 the minimum landing size of 115 mm for edible crabs (Cancer pagurus) will be revoked except for those crabs landed in Lincolnshire, Norfolk, Suffolk and Cumbrian sea fisheries district.The minimum landing size for edible crabs landed in Kent, Essex, north-east England, Wales north of Caemas Head, north-east England and Scotland will be increased to 125 mm. That for crabs landed in Somerset, Avon and Gloucestershire will be increased to 130 mm. In the Isles of Scilly the minimum landing size for female crabs will become 140 mm and that for male crabs 160 mm. At the 1160W same time British vessels will be prohibited from carrying edible crabs under 125 mm except in the Cumbrian sea fisheries district and the coastal waters adjacent to Lincolnshire, Norfolk and Suffolk.
Amending regulations will be laid before Parliament in the autumn. Further changes in the provisions of the Undersized Crabs Order 1986 will be considered once the Ministry's directorate of fisheries research has completed a detailed investigation into the state of crab stocks in the English Channel fishery.