§ Lord Stoddart of Swindonasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they will specify according to the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES) areas and mesh size what exceptions there will be to the harmonised mesh size 100 mm diamond in all European Union waters, giving the duration of the various exceptions. [HL679]
§ Lord DonoughueThis information is provided in the new European Community technical conservation regulation that will come into force on 1 January 2000. The regulation has not yet been published in theOfficial Journal of the European Communities but I have arranged for a copy of the text as agreed by the Council of Ministers on 30 October 1997 (SN 4282/1/97 rev-1) to be placed in the Library of the House. Annexes I to V, in particular, provide details of the mesh sizes agreed including exceptions.