§ Mr. MorleyTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many fishing vessels are operating in the fishing area covered by the convention on the conservation of Antarctic marine living resources.
§ Mr. Garel-JonesThe names of 126 fishing vessels have been registered with the Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR) as intending to fish within the convention's waters during the year beginning 1 July 1990.
664WIt is not possible to state how many vessels are fishing at any one time.
§ Mr. MorleyTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if any conservation measures to protect the krill fishery were agreed at the ninth meeting of the commission for the conservation of Antarctic mineral living resources.
§ Mr. Garel-JonesNo conservation measures for krill were adopted at the ninth meeting of the Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR) despite active attempts by the United Kingdom and other delegations to press for the introduction of a precautionary total allowable catch. Krill-fishing nations did indicate, however, their intention not to increase significantly their fishing efforts for krill or the catches of krill within the convention area in the near future.
§ Mr. MorleyTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what measures were agreed at the ninth meeting of the commission for the conservation of Antarctic marine living resources to protect the wandering albatross from incidental mortality in the long-lining fishery.
§ Mr. Garel-JonesCommission members agreed to implement the following modifications to long-line fishing techniques to reduce the incidental mortality of seabirds (including albatrosses): the use of a "tori" pole and streamer lines, the deployment of rapid-sinking baits, the restriction of fishing to night time only and a prohibition on dumping rubbish or offal during long-lining operations.
§ Mr. MorleyTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the conservation measures aimed at preventing overfishing in the waters around South Georgia.
§ Mr. Garel-JonesEleven conservation measures were adopted by the Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources at its meeting in Hobart in November 1990. Copies of these conservation measures, plus others already in force in the waters around South Georgia, are being placed in the Library of the House.