MINISTRY OF DEFENCE
068/98                                             March 13, 1998
 
          BRITISH TRAWLERS HELP IN INTELLIGENCE GATHERING:
                     INFORMATION MADE PUBLIC
 
Armed Forces Minister Dr John Reid today made public a paper 
describing the contribution of British trawlers to intelligence 
gathering during the Cold War period.
 
The paper, which has been placed in the Library of the House of
Commons,  explains the advantage of engaging fishing vessels as low-
level intelligence gatherers in the North Cape and Barents Sea.
 
Dr Reid said:
 
"This information gathering involved little more than reporting
position and, where possible, photographing any vessel of potential
interest.  It represented a long tradition of support by the fishing
fleet to the Royal Navy, where they would go about their business of
fishing, and volunteer such information they thought right to 
report."
 
Dr Reid added that a scheme also existed where junior Royal Navy
officers would gain valuable sea-going experience as well as
fostering good relationships between fleets, by embarking on Merchant
vessels and deep sea trawlers. This scheme provided an added
dimension to this low-level intelligence gathering activity.
 
NOTE TO EDITORS:
 
Copies of this document are available from the Defence Press Office.