HC Deb 27 March 1996 vol 274 cc614-6W
Mr. Peter Robinson

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, pursuant to his answer of 29 January,Official Report, column 525, what the annual production of table-sized rainbow trout from the 104 fattening ponds has been in each of the last 10 years. [21799]

Mr. Ancram

This information is not available. The licences under which these small ponds operate precludes the sale of the fish produced.

Mr. Robinson

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, pursuant to his answer of 29 January,Official Report, column 525, which Government Department sanctions and licences the movements of the live juvenile rainbow trout from the fish farms which supply to each of the fattening ponds. [21803]

Mr. Ancram

The Department of Agriculture for Northern Ireland.

Mr. Robinson

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, pursuant to his answer of 29 January,Official Report, column 525, if he will list by title and location each of the ponds where rainbow trout are artificially fed. [21811]

Mr. Ancram

A list of the names and addresses of those holding fish culture licences for garden ponds has been placed in the Library of the House.

Mr. Robinson

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, pursuant to his answer of 29 January,Official Report, column 525, if he will publish the licences of recorded movements of juvenile rainbow trout from the fish farms which supply each fattening pond. [21805]

Mr. Ancram

A copy of the permits issued during 1995 under the Fisheries Act (Northern Ireland) 1966 which authorise the movement of live fish and which relate to the supply of juvenile rainbow trout from the fish farms which supply each pond has been placed in the Library of the House.

Mr. Robinson

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, pursuant to his answer of 29 January,Official Report, column 525, how often the ponds are tested for enteric red mouth disease. [21809]

Mr. Ancram

No routine disease monitoring is undertaken at these ponds where production is not permitted to exceed 500 fish per annum. Testing for a range of diseases, including enteric redmouth is carried out when exposure to infection is suspected and when abnormal mortalities or disease outbreaks are reported as required under the terms of fish culture licences.

Mr. Robinson

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, pursuant to his answer of 29 January,Official Report, column 525, what information the operators of the ponds are required to provide to the Fisheries Conservancy Board. [21797]

Mr. Ancram

None.

Mr. Robinson

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, pursuant to his answer of 29 January,Official Report, column 525, if a fish dealer's licence is required to purchase the mature rainbow trout from the fattening ponds for supply to fishmongers, hotels and the catering trade. [21801]

Mr. Ancram

The supply of fish to fishmongers, hotels and the catering trade is precluded by the terms of the licences under which these ponds operate.

Mr. Robinson

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, pursuant to his answer of 29 January,Official Report, column 525, how many recorded uses of chemicals at the ponds there were in (i) 1993, (ii) 1994 and (iii) 1995. [21808]

Mr. Ancram

None.

Mr. Robinson

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, pursuant to his answer of 29 January,Official Report, column 525, on what date each of the 104 ponds were granted a fish culture licence under section 11 of the Fisheries Act Northern Ireland 1966. [21800]

Mr. Ancram

This information is contained on the list of holders of fish culture licences in respect of garden ponds which has been placed in the Library of the House.

Mr. Robinson

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, pursuant to his answer of 29 January,Official Report, column 525, how many of the sites where rainbow trout are artificially fed have been granted a fish culture licence under section 11 of the Fisheries Act Northern Ireland 1966. [21804]

Mr. Ancram

All known sites where rainbow trout are artificially fed have been granted a fish culture licence under section 11 of the Fisheries Act (Northern Ireland) 1966.

Mr. Robinson

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, pursuant to his answer of 29 January,Official Report, column 525, how often officials of the Fisheries Conservancy Board visit each of the fattening ponds. [21802]

Mr. Ancram

There is no routine monitoring of ponds by officials of the Fisheries Conservancy Board for Northern Ireland: the monitoring of compliance with fish culture licence conditions is the responsibility of the Department of Agriculture for Northern Ireland.

Mr. Robinson

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, pursuant to his answer of 29 January,Official Report, column 525, what measures are in place to ensure that rainbow trout from the ponds have been reared to Government standards. [21806]

Mr. Ancram

Appropriate requirements are imposed as conditions of the fish culture licence.

Mr. Robinson

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, pursuant to his answer of 29 January,Official Report, column 525, how many of the ponds are used and supplied directly by Movanagher fish farm to grow on to maturity. [21810]

Mr. Ancram

None.

Mr. Robinson

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, pursuant to his answer of 29 January,Official Report, column 525, if he will list the fish farms which have supplied and are currently supplying juvenile rainbow trout to the 104 fattening ponds. [21798]

Mr. Ancram

Historic information on those fish farms which have supplied juvenile rainbow trout to the ponds is not readily available and could be compiled only at disproportionate cost.

During 1995, Seven Springs trout hatchery, Bush Valley fish farm and Movanagher fish farm supplied juvenile fish to ponds.