§ Mr. TylerTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what steps she is taking to protect the interests of United Kingdom fishermen in exploring options for the conservation of fish stocks in the Irish Box-ICES areas VIIa, VIIb, VIIf, VIIg, VIIj and part VIa-in the current discussions on the implementation on the EC treaty of accession for Spain and Portugal.
§ Mr. JackAt the June Fisheries Council, when Iberian arrangements were discussed, it was agreed that relative stability should be respected and that there must be no increase in effort. The Commission proposals presented at the October Council asked the Council to agree major changes to the present Iberian access and effort arrangements but discussion of what is to replace them and meet the conditions agreed at the June Council by way of controls, exemptions and obligations would only take place at some point in the next two years.
I said that this was asking the Council to sign up to the equivalent of a blank cheque. The new arrangements must in practice confine Spanish and Portuguese fishing activities as closely as possible to their current pattern and not enable expansion or diversion of effort beyond that. We wanted the Council to agree continuation of the present restrictions on access to the Irish box and the North sea. Also, all the arrangements must be dealt with simultaneously. This would be fairer to all concerned. It could be done before the end of the year or the whole issue could be rolled forward. At whatever point we settle this issue the United Kingdom aim will be to secure considerable improvements to what is now on the table.