Written question asked by Owen Paterson (Conservative) on Monday, 18 October 2004, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Thursday, 18 November 2004. It was answered by Ben Bradshaw (Labour) on Thursday, 18 November 2004 on behalf of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.

Dept for Environment Food and Rural Affairs

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what the cod by-catch from beam trawlers fishing for sole in the Eastern Irish Sea was in the last 10 years for which figures are available. - Inc table.

Answer: Mr. Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the cod by- catch from beam trawlers fishing for sole in the Eastern Irish Sea was in the last 10 years for which figures are available. [192948] Mr. Bradshaw: Information is only available on the proportion that cod made up of total landings by UK fishing vessels of fish caught in the Irish sea, as opposed to total catches of fish, and this is given as follows. The figures relate to activity by UK fishing vessels over 10 m in length. They represent the average levels over the year, and there is considerable variability seen between individual vessels and individual months of the year. The information does not include any fish that may have been caught and then discarded before landing. Research was carried out in 2000 looking at the level of catches using beam trawl gear, which showed that cod made up on average 6 to 13 per cent. of catches using beam trawl gear in the Irish sea. _________________________________________________________________________________________________. Average percentage of cod in landings by UK over 10 m long vessels caught using beam trawl when fishing in the Irish sea on trips landing sole 1993 7 1994 4 1995 4 1996 3 1997 6 1998 7 1999 6 2000 1 2001 4 2002 4 2003 3 _________________________________________________________________________________________________.

Secondary information