§ Andrew GeorgeTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent discussions her Department has had with(a) the European Commission, (b) the French Government and (c) other EU member states regarding the possible impact of (i) pair trawling for bass and (ii) industrial fishing methods upon the wider marine environment and the conservation of cetaceans. [79021]
§ Mr. MorleyCommission proposals for the reform of the Common Fisheries Policy include a commitment to bring forward proposals by the end of 2002 to reduce cetacean bycatch and to commission from ICES a study of the impact of industrial fishing on the wider marine environment. These are plans which the UK supports and will be looking to drive forward when they come up for substantive discussion in the CFP review process. I have written to Commissioner Fischler and to the French Minister pressing the need for action in relation to cetacean bycatch, particularly in the bass fishery: the researchers contracted by Defra to trial measures to reduce cetacean bycatch have been meeting contacts from France and elsewhere to secure wider commitment to this work.
§ Andrew GeorgeTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what proportion of the total allowable catch of cod available for each of the fisheries management areas for which cod quotas apply has been caught by each of the member states entitled to catch cod around the seas of the United234W Kingdom (a) in each of the last five years for which figures are available and (b) so far this catching year. [79024]
§ Mr. MorleyThe table containing the required data has been placed in the Library.