§ Mr. DrewTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what plans he has to introduce a decommissioning scheme for fishing vessels. [132560]
§ Mr. MorleyWe had envisaged that a limited fishing vessel decommissioning scheme might have been needed to meet our EU obligations to reduce capacity of fixed gear vessels. However, capacity in the lines and nets segment of the fleet is already within the MAGP IV objectives for end 2001, and the tonnage of shellfish fixed gear vessels is close to the 2001 objectives. We do not therefore plan to hold a decommissioning scheme in present circumstances.