§ Dr. David ClarkTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what regulations are currently in force to prevent the use of drift nets of over 5 km in length on United Kingdom boats; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. MacleanI understand that no United Kingdom vessel uses drift nets as long as 5 km and indeed the substantial proportion are between 200 and 400 m in length. There is no general length restriction in force but there are several regulations which limit drift nets in specific fisheries or areas to well within 5 km in length.
§ Dr. David ClarkTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether the annual accidental catch of birds and marine mammals by United Kingdom drift net boats is reported to him; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. GummerIt is known that fishermen in the United Kingdom may accidentally catch mammals and birds in their nets, but there is no evidence that this occurs on a significant scale. The drift net fisheries around our coast are quite modest and do not give rise to the sort of environmental problems associated with the very large-scale drift netting operations in the Pacific, about which there has been justified concern.