HC Deb 06 May 1998 vol 311 c420W
Mr. Gill

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many fishing licences have been issued since 1976 to foreign-owned fishing vessels registered on the British Merchant Vessel Register. [40476]

Mr. Morley

We estimate that currently there are some 150 UK registered and licensed fishing vessels which have a significant foreign interest in their ownership. Of these, about one third were registered prior to the application of restrictive licensing arrangements in 1984.