To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many (a) UK based fishing vessels, (b) Northern Ireland based fishing vessels and (c) foreign based fishing vessels were boarded by UK based enforcement officers in the last year for which figures are available. [109691]

I have been asked to reply.1,209 UK fishing vessels and 861 foreign fishing vessels were inspected at sea by British Sea Fisheries Officers during 2002, some more than once. It is not possible to readily distinguish between Great Britain and Northern Ireland vessels within the UK figure.