Fisheries (Hansard, 5 March 1998)

§ Mr. Townend
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, pursuant to his answers of 12 February 1998,Official Report, column 374, and 24 February 1998, Official Report, column 185, if the national quota constitutes a derogation from the principle of nondiscrimination. [32263]

§ Mr. Morley
No.

§ Mr. Gill
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the derogations from the principle of free access to fishing grounds which will not be effective after the year 2002. [32571]

§ Mr. Morley
The derogations from the principle of equal access which expire at the end of 2002 are those 729W limiting access within Member States' 12 mile fisheries limits and those which apply by virtue of the Acts of Accession of Portugal, Spain, Finland and Sweden.

§ Sir Richard Body
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on his Department's policy on the continuation of the permit system for the Common Fisheries Policy after 2002.[31997]

§ Mr. Morley
Under the provisions of Council Regulation (EC) No. 162/94, it is the responsibility of the flag Member State to issue and manage the special fishing permits of vessels flying its flag. The Fisheries Departments issue such permits to vessels over 18 metres in overall length fishing for deep-water species, edible crabs, spider crabs and scallops in Western waters, as part of the licence to fish in those waters, in accordance with the provisions of Council Regulation (EC) No. 685/95. The Fisheries Departments will continue to issue such permits wherever they are required to do so by Community obligations.