Written question asked by George Turner (Labour) on Monday, 27 July 1998, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Friday, 31 July 1998. It was answered by Elliot Morley (Labour) on Friday, 31 July 1998 on behalf of the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food.

Ministry of Agriculture Fisheries and Food

Question: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, what evidence he has assessed on the stock level of brown shrimp in the North Sea in (a) 1997 and (b) the period 1993 to 1996; and if he will place such evidence in the Library. - Inc table. (Holding answer 30 July 1998).

Answer: Dr. George Turner: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what evidence he has assessed on the stock level of brown shrimp in the North Sea in (a) 1997 and (b) the period 1993 to 1996; and if he will place such evidence in the Library. [53743] Mr. Morley: [holding answer 30 July 1998]: An international study group is collecting data on brown shrimp but has not yet made an assessment of the stock in the North Sea as a whole. So far as the Wash and adjacent areas are concerned, an index of abundance has been prepared using landings of brown shrimp per unit effort. The data are as follows. Landings, effort and index of abundance (landings per unit effort) for brown shrimps from The Wash and adjacent areas 1986 to 1997 _________________________________________________________________________________________________. Year Landings in tonnes Effort in 1000s hours fished LPUE in kg/hour 1986 497 15 32.7 1987 1,404 26 54.4 1988 561 19 29.8 1989 653 25 25.8 1990 399 27 14.9 1991 344 19 18.1 1992 401 11 35.0 1993 923 23 40.0 1994 967 33 29.6 1995 869 38 22.8 1996 548 19 29.3 1997 495 19 26.5 _________________________________________________________________________________________________.

Secondary information