- Asked by: Richard Lochhead, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 15 November 2002
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Current Status:
Answered by Ross Finnie on 6 December 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive what the source, date and results of any research into the impact of the ban on sandeel fishing off the Wee Bankie on white fish stocks.
Answer
A copy of the recent report into the impact of the closure off the Wee Bankie compiled for the Commission by UK and Danish scientists has been placed in the Parliament's Reference Centre (Bib. number 25356). The report does not focus upon the impact of the ban on white fish stocks as this was not the basis for the closure.
- Asked by: Richard Lochhead, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 15 November 2002
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Current Status:
Answered by Ross Finnie on 6 December 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive what progress it has made in relation to reducing the level of industrial by-catch of white fish stocks in Scottish waters or areas fished by Scottish vessels.
Answer
The industrial fisheries are an integral part of the Common Fisheries Policy. White fish by-catch limits in the industrial fisheries are established by EU regulations.
- Asked by: Richard Lochhead, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 15 November 2002
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Current Status:
Answered by Ross Finnie on 6 December 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive what the outcome has been of any discussions that have taken place with the Secretary of State for Scotland in relation to current fisheries negotiations in Europe.
Answer
I met with the Secretary of State for Scotland on 25 November to update her on the current position.
- Asked by: Richard Lochhead, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 15 November 2002
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Current Status:
Answered by Ross Finnie on 6 December 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it sought any second opinion or external comment on the methodology used by the Fisheries Research Services (FRS) in relation to the most recent contribution by FRS to the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea's advice.
Answer
No. The methodology is as agreed by ICES and was this year reviewed externally and approved by independent scientists from North America. FRS is at the forefront of developments in these analytical techniques.
- Asked by: Richard Lochhead, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 15 November 2002
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Current Status:
Answered by Ross Finnie on 6 December 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will give a brief description of any new research relating to the current sea fisheries negotiations that it has requested either from internal or external sources during the last four weeks.
Answer
I have not commissioned new research. I have received scientific advice on a wide range of issues from Fisheries Research Services.
- Asked by: Richard Lochhead, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 15 November 2002
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Current Status:
Answered by Ross Finnie on 6 December 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive what the estimated by-catch of white fish has been by each of the industrial fisheries in Scottish waters or waters fished by Scottish vessels in each of the last 10 years.
Answer
ICES estimates of the by-catch of white fish (cod, haddock and whiting) in the combined Danish and Norwegian small-meshed (industrial fisheries) for sandeel and Norway pout in the North Sea as a whole are given in the following table.Estimated By-catch of Cod, Haddock and Whiting in the Danish and Norwegian Small-mesh Industrial Fisheries in the North Sea (Tonnes), 1992-2001
| Year | Cod | Haddock | Whiting |
| 1992 | 1,024 | 11,000 | 27,000 |
| 1993 | 1,052 | 11,000 | 20,000 |
| 1994 | 876 | 5,000 | 10,000 |
| 1995 | 955 | 8,000 | 27,000 |
| 1996 | 366 | 5,000 | 5,000 |
| 1997 | 1,688 | 7,000 | 7,000 |
| 1998 | 1,281 | 5,000 | 3,000 |
| 1999 | 532 | 4,000 | 5,000 |
| 2000 | 383 | 8,000 | 8,000 |
| 2001 | 192 | 6,000 | 7,000 |
Source: ICES. 2002 Report of the Working Group on the Assessment of Demersal Stocks in the North Sea and Skagerrak.
- Asked by: Richard Lochhead, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 07 November 2002
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Wallace on 6 December 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-28026 by Mr Jim Wallace on 4 November 2002, whether, in terms of sections 1.1(b) and (d) of the Scottish Ministerial Code, disclosure of information regarding attendance at EU meetings is not in the public interest and what the reasons are for its position on this matter.
Answer
The Executive does provide information on attendance at EU meetings.I refer the member to the answers given to questions S1W-6228 on 9 May 2000, S1W-13367 on 29 March 2002, S1W-20175 on 5 December 2001, S1W-22493 on 25 February 2002 and S1W-31063 on 2 December 2002 regarding ministerial attendance; and to S1W-13370 on 2 May 2001 and S1W-31063 on 2 December 2002, regarding official attendance. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at:
http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/search_wa.
- Asked by: Richard Lochhead, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 27 November 2002
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Current Status:
Answered by Ross Finnie on 5 December 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made on securing a future for fishing communities.
Answer
In order to secure a future for fishing communities, we need to safeguard the fish stocks on which they depend. The Scottish Executive takes very seriously the latest scientific advice that a substantial reduction in fish mortality is required if a collapse of key whitefish stocks is to be avoided. However, the Commission has accepted our argument that alternatives to closure must be sought. We shall continue to press hard for alternative measures that strike an appropriate balance between conservation of stocks and ensuring a sustainable fishing industry.
- Asked by: Richard Lochhead, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 21 November 2002
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Current Status:
Answered by Lewis Macdonald on 5 December 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to send any representatives to the meeting of the EU Maritime Transport Council on 6 December 2002.
Answer
The Scottish Executive will not send a representative to the EU Transport Council meeting on 5 to 6 December 2002. Decisions on Scottish ministers' attendance at Council meetings are made on a case by case basis depending on the agenda of the Council meeting in question.
- Asked by: Richard Lochhead, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 06 November 2002
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Wallace on 3 December 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-28026 by Mr Jim Wallace on 4 November 2002, why the answer did not state which of its ministers and how many of its officials attended the European Union working party on substantive criminal law in Brussels on 29 and 30 July 2002, the grade of these officials and their departments and whether it will now provide this information.
Answer
Ministers from member states do not, as a rule, attend European Union working groups, which are attended by officials from member states. UK officials represented the Executive at the Working Party on Substantive Criminal Law on 29 and 30 July 2002.
