asked the Minister of Agriculture. Fisheries and Food what was the size of the British distant water fishing fleet in each of the past 10 years.

Fishing vessel statistics are maintained in terms of registered length and method of fishing. They are published in Sea Fisheries Statistics, available in the Library of the House. With the steady change in fishing opportunities in Third country waters, some fishing vessels traditionally occupied there have turned successfully to other opportunities nearer to our shores. It is now therefore much less easy to characterise vessels as distant water or other and I am unable to give information in the form requested by the hon. Member.