HL Deb 17 June 1996 vol 573 cc4-5WA
Lord Kingsland

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What was the outcome of the Fisheries Council held in Luxembourg on 10th June.

Lord Lucas

My honourable friend the Minister of State for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food represented the United Kingdom at the meeting of the Fisheries Council in Luxembourg on 10th June.

The Council had an initial exchange of views about the principles and objectives for the next series of measures designed to bring all member states' fishing fleets into better balance with available fish stocks. My honourable friend made it clear that the UK could not agree to the possibility of further reductions in the UK fleet until there is satisfactory progress towards sorting out the problem of quota hoppers. He also drew attention to the inconsistencies in the scientific advice underlying the Commission's thinking, for example in their assessment of Irish Sea stocks and the lack of any proposed reduction in industrial fishing. He stressed that the approach had to be credible and command the confidence of the industry whose livelihoods are at stake. Significant further technical work will be needed before decisions can be taken. Other member states also had difficulty with the Commission's ideas and supported our view that any measures must be seen to be necessary, fair and workable. Discussion will be resumed at the next meeting of the Council in October.

The Council agreed unanimously that the Community should at the earliest opportunity sign the United Nations Agreement on Straddling Stocks and Highly Migratory Fish Species. It is designed to ensure international co-operation in the long term conservation and sustainable use of these fish stocks. My honourable friend indicated the UK's strong support for such international measures.

The Council agreed by qualified majority, with the United Kingdom and Ireland voting against, the allocation between member states of the 1996 quotas for redfish under the North-East Atlantic Fisheries Commission (NEAFC) and North-West Atlantic Fisheries Organisation (NAFO). Despite its lack of track record in the newly regulated NEAFC fishery, the UK was allocated a quota of 44 tonnes.

The Council unanimously agreed a short term arrangement so that no more than 3,000 tonnes of the 43,000 tonne sprat total allowable catch for the Skaggerak and Kattegat could be fished using 16 millimetre meshes for the remainder of 1996. This restriction is designed to limit the by-catch of juvenile herring.

The Commission reported the latest scientific advice on North Sea herring. This indicates that catch reductions of 50 per cent. are necessary during the current year in order to avoid closing the fishery next year. My honourable friend outlined the UK's view that early action is essential to prevent a stock collapse and to avoid a complete closure. He supported quota cuts for North Sea herring this year subject to the juvenile herring by-catch in other fisheries, including industrial fisheries, being reduced in parallel; the same proportionate cut applying to both the northern and southern North Sea herring stocks; and the cut in herring quotas being applied equitably to all member states. This approach secured support from a number of other member states and the Commission will be having urgent discussions with Norway before making specific proposals for action to protect the herring stocks.

The UK expressed its continuing concern about the market for farmed salmon and asked the Commission to continue to monitor the position very carefully over the summer.