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Office of the Secretary of State for Wales

Answer

Mr. William Ross: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is the number of angler caught (a) salmon, (b) grilse and (c) sea trout caught in Wales in each of the last five years; and what his estimate is of the number of each of these categories of fish taken by seals in Welsh waters in each of these years. [128855] Mr. Paul Murphy: [holding answer 3 July 2000]: In Wales in the last five years the number of angler caught (a) salmon, (b) grilse and (c) sea trout were: Declared rod catch of sea trout from Welsh rivers, 1995-99 _________________________________________________________________________________________________. Number 1995 10,754 1996 13,123 1997 13,914 1998 24,401 1999 24,629 _________________________________________________________________________________________________. Estimated number of grilse and MSW (multi sea wintering) salmon (corrected for under-reporting at a 10 per cent. increase) in Welsh rod catch, 1995-99 _________________________________________________________________________________________________. Salmon (MSW) Grilse 1995 1,491 3,070 1996 2,287 3,728 1997 1,119 2,865 1998 895 3,863 1999 1,065 2,339 _________________________________________________________________________________________________. An estimated 40 per cent. of salmon and 50 per cent. of sea trout are returned (1999 figures) by Welsh anglers. Official statistics and estimates of fish taken by seals are not maintained. Responsibility for fisheries was transferred to the National Assembly for Wales from 1 July 1999 within the 12 nautical miles of fishing water surrounding the coast, as defined by the Government of Wales Act 1998.

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

128855; 353 c120W

Session

1999-00

Subjects

Fish Wales Angling Salmon Trout

Contains statistics

Yes

Link

View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk