Fisheries

Bill Wiggin
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what estimate he has made of the value of fish caught by the 10 metre and under fleet in each year since 1997; and if he will make a statement.

Jonathan Shaw
The value at current prices of reported fish landings by the UK 10 metre and under fleet is provided in the following table.

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|    |£ million|
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|Year|Value    |
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|1997|47.0     |
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|1998|50.4     |
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|1999|48.5     |
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|2000|44.5     |
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|2001|44.8     |
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|2002|43.4     |
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|2003|46.3     |
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|2004|47.4     |
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|2005|38.1     |
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|2006|76.2     |
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The sharp increase in value in 2006 is a result of the introduction, by UK fishery administrations, of a scheme of registration for buyers and sellers of first sale fish. This has led to improved landings information for the 10 metre and under fleet. Figures for 2006 are therefore not comparable with those from earlier years.