asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will specify the total United Kingdom catch in third country waters in each year from 1969 to 1981 and indicate the average total catch over the periods 1969 to 1975 and 1976 to 1982.

[pursuant to his reply, 11 November 1982, c. 240]: The estimated total United Kingdom catch from third country waters in the years specified is as follows:

	'000 tonnes (liveweight)
1969	447
1970	433
1971	368
1972	321
1973	333
1974	333
1975	292
1976	229
1977	148
1978	61
1979	34
1980	23
1981	14

The average United Kingdom total catch from all areas was 1,056,000 tonnes in the period 1969–1975 and 930,000 tonnes in the period 1976–81. Complete figures for 1982 are not yet available.