Danish Mackerel Catches
The Minister reported Danish catches of western-stock mackerel at 14,085 tonnes in 1982 and 904 tonnes in ICES area 6A in early 1983. Gallagher questioned the 1982 figure and suggested catches may have been higher; the Minister said he had no reason to doubt it.
asked the Minister for Fisheries and Forestry the tonnage of mackerel taken by the Danes from area 6A (i) during 1982, (ii) since the signing of the common fisheries policy.
Comment on this
: I have been informed by the EEC Commission that catches of western stock mackerel by Danish fishermen during 1982 amounted to 14,085 tonnes. As quotas were not in operation until 1983 no details are available of catches in the various ICES areas involved. A catch of 904 tonnes was recorded in the period 27 January to 20 February 1983, for ICES area 6A.
Comment on this
: Does the Minister accept in all sincerity that that figure of 14,085 tonnes is accurate for 1982?
Comment on this
: The reason I am asking this is that the Danes were anxious for a quota of 20,000 tonnes prior to the common fisheries policy and they tell us they caught only 14,000 tonnes. There are reasons to believe that they have caught more than that.
