§ Lord Ross of Newportasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they have any proposals to restrict the catching of lobsters and crabs by inshore fishermen based in the United Kingdom.
§ The Minister of State, Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (Baroness Trumpington)Current restrictions include minimum landing sizes for lobsters and for crabs and a prohibition on landing of edible crab claws. There are also a number of local by-laws in England and Wales concerned with restrictions on the landing of parts or soft shelled or berried crustacean, and certain restrictions on creel fishing in specified areas of Scottish inshore waters. There are no proposals to restrict further the catching of lobsters and crabs although the industry, under a working party to be established by the Sea Fish Industry Authority, will shortly be considering what, if anything, might be done.