§ Mrs. Iris RobinsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what research she has evaluated into the effect of the three-year-old cod recovery programme in the Irish Sea on cod stocks. [84451]
§ Mr. MorleyThe Government have reviewed the information collected for the annual assessment of stocks by the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea and groundfish surveys conducted this year. There is some evidence that fishing mortality has reduced and that there has been a small increase in cod spawning stock biomass— although the latter is still well outside safe biological limits. There is, however, no definitive evidence that these are due solely to the recovery plan nor that they can be sustained without further significant action.