§ Mr. WhittingdaleTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what estimate she has made of the contribution of recreational sea angling to the UK economy. [104017]
§ Mr. MorleyWe do not currently have estimates of the contribution of sea angling to the UK economy. For this reason, we are in the process of commissioning a study entitled 'Research into the Economic Contribution of Sea Angling1. This project is at the tender stage at present, and is expected to report early in 2004.
§ Mrs. Iris RobinsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many Scottish-based trawlers targeting whitefish have been recorded as fishing in the statistical rectangle 39E4 in the past three months. [103944]
§ Mr. Morley44 Scottish based fishing vessels were recorded as targeting whitefish in rectangle 39E4 between 1 December 2002 and 28 February 2003. Of458W these, 33 were trawlers of an overall length greater than 10 metres. The remaining 11 were small-scale coastal vessels of a length of 10 metres and below.
§ Mr. WhittingdaleTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on the implications of reform of the Common Fisheries Policy for recreational sea angling. [104013]
§ Mr. MorleyThe UK pressed strongly throughout the reform negotiations for increased emphasis on stakeholder involvement in decisions on fisheries management. This was reflected in the agreement at the Council to set up Regional Advisory Councils to provide a voice for the fishing industry and other stakeholders—such as recreational sea anglers—in decisions on fisheries management.
§ Mr. WhittingdaleTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what account she has taken of the interests of sea anglers in discussions of reform of the Common Fisheries Policy. [104014]
§ Mr. MorleyThe Government recognise sea anglers as stakeholders in the management of fish stocks and as such they were consulted fully on the Commission's proposals for reform of the Common Fisheries Policy.
§ Mr. David LidingtonTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment she has made of the extent to which other EU member states have exempted parts of their countries from the ban on the on-farm burial of fallen stock. [103763]
§ Margaret BeckettNo such assessment has been made. It is for individual Member States to inform the Commission of the areas that they wish to categorise as being remote for the purposes of applying for a derogation to permit on-farm burial.