§ Mr. MossTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will support the lifting of the ban on the Fleetwood inshore fishing fleet from fishing in their traditional waters in zone VIIa; if he will act to curtail the activities of Belgian and Irish beam trawlers catching cod in the same zone; and if he will compensate the Fleetwood inshore fleet for the time they have been laid-up under the ban under Article 16 of the Structures Regulation. [116094]
§ Mr. MorleyThe priority at present in the Irish Sea (zone VIIa) is to protect cod spawning given the serious state of cod stocks in this area. With this in mind the European Commission decided in February to close the area to most demersal fishing from 14 February until 1 May 2000. Shrimp and nephrops fisheries (in designated areas), however, remain open. I announced on 10 March that a voluntary agreement had been reached between the UK, Belgium and Ireland to withdraw flatfish beam trawlers from the closed area until 1 May. This has been welcomed by the industry.
In conjunction with the Fleetwood Fish Producers' Organisation, CEFAS is conducting trials in the inshore fishery to see what proportion of cod is likely to be taken. Results from these trials will enable us to decide what inshore fisheries could remain open without jeopardising the recovery of cod stocks in the event of closures in future years.
There are a number of conservation closures in place. The Government do not believe it is appropriate to compensate fishermen for a decline in stocks or for conservation measures designed to improve stocks and hence fishing opportunities in the future; there is no history of this under preceding Governments. Those fishermen who are unable to work in the nephrops and shrimp fisheries or in other fisheries outside the closed area may be entitled to claim Job Seeker's Allowance and other benefits.