Norway (Fishing Rights)

HC Deb 06 May 1994 vol 242 cc692-3W

Mr. Austin Mitchell

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if she will list each aspect of the Norwegian EU accession treaty relating to the management, control, catches and policing regime for fishing permitted to Norway in(a) southern and (b) northern waters under the transitional regime; and what are the comparable provisions for the United Kingdom at the present time.

Mr. Jack

In waters south of 62 deg north—the North sea, Skagerrak, Irish sea and west of Scotland and Ireland —fish stocks will be managed by the European Union from the date of Norwegian accession, but in the Norwegian sector of the North sea for one year the current Norwegian technical measures and control system will apply and for three years the current discard ban will apply. Norwegian quotas are fixed as the average shares of each stock over the period 1989 to 1993.

The United Kingdom quotas for joint EC-Norwegian stocks in waters south of 62 deg north are calculated on the same reference period as for Norway and thus consolidate the existing relative stability shares. The United Kingdom's control, management and technical conservation measures, applied within the framework of the common fisheries policy, are unaffected by the treaty of Norwegian accession.

In waters north of 62 deg north, Norway will maintain her management responsibility for fish stocks, including negotiations with Russia, until July 1998, after which the European Union will assume management responsibility. The current Norwegian technical measures will apply for one year but for three years the current control system, discard ban, and system of opening and closing fisheries in biologically sensitive zones will apply.

Norwegian and United Kingdom quotas are fixed as the average shares of each stock over the period 1989 to 1993 except for north-east arctic cod and mackerel where the quotas are fixed at the same percentages as in 1994. The United Kingdom's control, management and technical conservation measures in the area of United Kingdom waters north of 62 deg north are unaffected by the treaty of Norwegian accession.