§ Mrs. Iris RobinsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will provide compensation to the Northern Ireland scallop industry following the recent imposition of a retrospective ban on the Irish Sea scallop grounds; and when he intends to re-open the fishery. [84456]
§ Mr. Paul MurphyNo. It remains Northern Ireland policy not to pay compensation during such outbreaks. The ban in the Irish Sea does not extend to the North Sea or Strangford Lough where scallops may still be caught by fishermen subject to the requirement that they be taken to an approved processing plant for shucking under a movement permit.
It is not possible at this stage to indicate when the fishery will reopened.