To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent assessment he has made of the effect of the EU sea fishing quotas for 2008 on the profitability of the British fishing industry; and if he will make a statement. (254073)

DEFRA has information on the monetary value derived from fish landings, rather than profitability, which is at best estimated.

DEFRA does not have all 2008 landings data, which should be available in May. On the basis of available 2008 information we understand that landings of quota species generated revenues of £459.2 million and revenues from all species landed amounted to £635.5 million. In 2007, for which we have a full year's worth of data, quota species generated £464.8 million in revenues, and all species landed generated £643 million.

Once all the data from 2008 are available DEFRA expects revenues generated in 2008 to exceed those generated in 2007.