§ Mr. Austin MitchellTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, pursuant to his answer of 27 January,Official Report, column 452, on the application of conservation measures, if he will now request the Commission to progress new technical conservation measures to ban industrial fishing in British waters round the south-west and on the Dogger bank.
§ Mr. JackAt the December 1994 Fisheries Council, the Commission agreed to bring forward by 30 June 1995 proposals to improve the technical conservation rules for western waters. The Commission has also been asked by the Council to review the technical conservation measures applying in the North sea. At my instigation, Community scientists are currently examining the effects of fishing and particularly industrial fishing, on the marine ecosystem.
EU Fisheries Ministers will consider the outcome of this work, and appropriate action, at future meetings. I shall consider the UK position in relation to these matters in liaison with the industry.