§ Mr. MorleyTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the areas he has identified as unsuitable for the use of monofilament nets for(a) conservation reasons and (b) because the area is used for sports diving. [11159]
§ Mr. Raymond S. RobertsonNo such areas have been identified.
§ Mr. MorleyTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many responses to the recent consultation on the carriage of monofilament gill nets recommended that the use of such nets should be monitored to assess their impact on marine wildlife. [11156]
§ Mr. RobertsonFive respondents made such a recommendation.
§ Mr. MorleyTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what consultations he has had with representatives of scuba divers in relation to ending the ban on the carriage and use of monofilament nets. [11158]
§ Mr. RobertsonSince announcing the outcome of consultations on the proposed ending of the ban on large mesh monofilament gill nets, I have received representations from diving interests, whose views have been noted.
§ Mr. MorleyTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland which organisations and individuals were consulted prior to changing the Inshore Fishing (Prohibition of the Carriage of Monofilament Gill Nets) (Scotland) Order 1986; and how many responses were(a) in favour of and (b) against changing the legislation. [11160]
§ Mr. RobertsonThe following organisations and individuals were consulted on the proposed derogation to the Inshore Fishing (Prohibition of the Carriage of Monofilament Gill Nets) (Scotland) Order 1986:
- The Salmon Net Fishing Association of Scotland
- The Atlantic Salmon Trust Ltd.
- The Tay Salmon Fisheries Co. Ltd.
- Fishmongers' Company
- Salmon and Trout Association (Scottish Council)
- Scottish Natural Heritage
- The Salmon and Trout Association
- The Forth Fishery Conservation Trust
- Association of Scottish District Salmon Fishery Boards
- River Tweed Commissioners
- Association of Chief Police Officers (Scotland)
- Hook Towe
- Scottish Fishermen's Federation
- Sea Fish Industry Authority
194 - Mallaig and North West Fisherman's Association
- Shetland Fishermen's Association
- Forth Fishermen's Association
- Scottish Pelagic Fishermen's Association
- Scottish Whitefish Producers Organisation
- Herring Buyers Association
- Aberdeen Fish Producers Organisation Ltd.
- North East of Scotland Fish Producers Organisation
- Fife Fish Producers Organisation Ltd.
- Orkney Fishermen's Association
- Western Isles Fishermen's Association
- Highlands and Islands Enterprise
- Scottish Fishermen's Organisation
- Shetland Fish Producers Organisation
- Ullapool Boat Owners' Association
- Scottish Fish Merchants's Federation
- British Boatbuilders' Association
- Fishing Co-operative
- Fish Traders' Association
- Highlands and Islands Fishermen's Association (SG)
- Eyemouth and District Fishermen's Association
- Clyde Fishermen's Association
- J and W Stuart
- A W Harkiss
- Duthie Trawlers
- Sicor International Ltd.
- Seawire Services Ltd.
- Jackson Trawls Ltd.
- Harvest Trawls
- Pisces
- Seaway Nets
- Calley Nets
- Scotnet
- T Nets
- Faithlie Trawls
- Catchmore Macduff Ltd.
- Alf Wallace Nets
- John Noble Esq.
- LHD Net Mending
- Oceansafe
- Whalsay Trawl Nets
- Nautilus Consultants
- Royal Society for the Protection of Birds
- Skye and Lochalsh Fishermen's Association
- Shetland Fish Processors Association
- Arbroath Fishermen's Association
- Scottish Fisheries Protection Agency
- Fife Fishermen's Association
- Shetland Fish Products Ltd.
- Macduff Shipyards Limited
- Aberdeen Fish Curers and Merchants Association Ltd.
- Scottish Wildlife and Countryside Link
- World Wide Fund for Nature
- Anglo-Scottish Fish Producers Organisation
- Scottish Pelagic Fishermen's Association Ltd.
- Loch Linnhe Fishermen's Association
- UFS Ltd.
- Grampian Seafood Project
195 - West of Scotland Fish Producers' Organisation
- Northern Ireland Fishermen's Federation
- North Irish Sea Fishermen's Federation
- Association of Sea Fisheries Committees
- Fleetwood Fish Producers Organisation
- Cornish Fish Producers Organisation
- UK Association of Fish Producers Organisation
- Fish Producers Organisation Ltd.
- UK Association of Frozen Food Producers
- Grimsby Fish Producers Organisation
- Mudeford and District Fishermen's Association
- Lowestoft Fish Procedures Organisation Ltd.
- Southern Commercial Fishermen
- South Western Fish Producers Organisation
- Fishermen's Federation of Northumberland
- Yorkshire and Anglia Fish Producers Organisation
- Ken Bell International Ltd.
- States of Guernsey SFC
- States of Jersey, Department of Agriculture and Fisheries
- Department of Agriculture Fisheries and Forestry, Isle of Man
- Joint Nature Conservation Committee
- English Nature
- Wildlife and Countryside Link
Twenty-seven responses were received, of which 16 were in favour of the proposed change, five were not opposed to it but had some qualifications, and four were opposed to it in varying degrees. Two respondents offered no view.
§ Mr. MorleyTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) what measures he has instigated to prevent large-mesh monofilament nets presenting a threat to marine wildlife; [11163]
(2) what monitoring will be established to assess the impact of large-mesh monofilament nets upon marine wildlife in Scottish waters. [11157]
§ Mr. RobertsonArrangements for monitoring the by-catch of cetaceans in fishing nets are already in place and these will be extended to any large-mesh monofilament gill nets.