Chamber and committees

Yes; at our request, the UK Permanent Representation to the EU (UKRep) presented a formal copy of the report to the Commission on 22 November 2002.In anticipation of that, and the relevance of the associated data, UKRep had previously written to the Commission about associated details on 2 August 2002. Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and the Scottish Executive Environment and Rural Affairs Department officials followed this up in discussion with the Commission in advance of the EU/Norway consultations held on 20 to 22 November 2002.Some of the results were also discussed within the wider scientific community, particularly at the ICES Advisory Committee on Fishery Management on 9 to 17 October 2002, which the Commission attended as observers.

I have no information further to that in the recent Advisory Committee on Fishery Management report. I refer the member to the report and specifically to sections on haddock, whiting, sandeels and Norway pout.

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.

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.

The term industrial fishery encompasses a wide range of fisheries destined for purposes other than human consumption. The most important industrial fishery to Scotland is the blue whiting fishery. Thirteen Scottish registered vessels landed significant tonnages of blue whiting into Scotland in 2001. Three Scottish registered vessels landed sandeels into Scotland in 2001. There were no significant landings of Norway pout.

The procedures surrounding the attendance and role of Ministers from Devolved Administrations at Council meetings is outlined in paragraphs B4.12-13 of the Concordat on the co-ordination of EU policy issues.

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.

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.

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.

Scottish Executive ministers are supportive of the Friends of Scotland initiative and attend events when possible.