THE rising temperature of the North Sea is affecting fish landings off the Yorkshire Coast, say experts.

Scarborough fishermen were told by David McCandless, chief fishery officer for the North East Sea Fisheries Committee, that in the past decade the temperature had gone up one degree, which he said was significant.

"It is certainly a big factor in terms of cod spwaning," he added.

Bass, which 30 years ago was non-existent, was now being fished commercially, said Mr McCandless.

He told a seminar for the fishing industry that the authority had invested £80,000 on improving the lobster stocks off the coast and it had resulted in more than a million being produced in a scheme which had been mainly funded by the European Union.

Latest figures showed there had been a 15pc drop in white fish landings, due, it was believed, to the warmer temperatures in the sea and fewer fish being available.

However, there had been a massive 23pc rise in shellfish landed, he added.

There had also been an 18pc rise in lobster landings. "There has been a significant fishing effort," said Mr McCandless.

Landings of crabs had also gone up 23pc in the past year.

The stocks and subsequent landings of white fish had declined steadily in the past decade, he said, but shellfish continued to increase.

The number of boats being used for potting - catching shellfish - now outnumbered the traditional trawlers and keel boats.

A new bye-law on trawling fishing will extend fishing limits out to six miles and will protect fishing grounds from the large Scottish trawlers, said Mr McCandless. The Scots, he added, opposed the move because they wanted to be able to fish in the three to six-mile zone.

Leading Scarborough fisherman Fred Normandale, chairman of the local Inshore Fishermen's Society, criticised members of the Sea Fish Authority for failing to attend. Only two members were present at the seminar, which Mr Normandale said was an abyssmal turnout.

"The executive are the people who are making decisions which affect our lives. There are no fishermen on the executive - one should be appointed," he added.

Updated: 09:33 Wednesday, October 02, 2002