Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 7 Mar 2002

Vol. 550 No. 2

Adjournment Debate. - Fishing Vessel Licences.

Mr. Ring:

I wish to put on the record that at 11.25 p.m. today the constituents of Mayo and Ireland could not say we are not serving the country and the cause well. The Minister of State, Deputy Moffatt, should be on this side of the House supporting me on this worthy Adjournment matter. Those in the inshore fishing industry have been badly affected by the regulations introduced by the Minister for the Marine and Natural Resources. I call on him to reverse his decision. Yesterday he went part of the way by reducing the price of tonnage by 50%. I call on him and the Government to postpone these regulations.

The Minister of State will be aware that those involved in this area from north Mayo and in other coastal areas have a very difficult life. The Minister's licensing proposals will have a major effect on them. It will cost some of them between £30,000 and £50,000 to stay in business, which they cannot afford. It will mean them having to leave the industry.

Those involved in the industry in the west and in rural areas were involved in a way of life. The Minister has fallen out with every sector in the fishing industry. I am disappointed he is not present tonight. Public representatives in Mayo have been lobbied by these people and I understand that the Minister of State, Deputy Moffatt, Deputy Cooper-Flynn and Senator Chambers have lobbied the Minister, as has the Minister of State at the Department of Arts, Heritage, Gaeltacht and the Islands, Deputy Coughlan. I call on the Minister to abandon his proposals and to ensure that regulations be debated in this House. His proposals are illegal and it is wrong for him to introduce them without the approval of the House. If he does not withdraw them they will be contested in the courts.

Many families involved in this area have passed on their skills from son to grandson. As a result, generations of families will be affected by these proposals. A young man telephoned me today to say he had bought a new boat and tonnage last year. He will be disadvantaged by these proposals.

In Spain, any vessel under 12 metres is not regarded as a boat. I have no problem with the safety regulations but I have major difficulties with the prices the Minister is proposing. Those affected cannot afford them. He is destroying an industry which provides the only work people in parts of my constituency, especially in the north Mayo area, can get.

I call on the Minister of State, as a constituency colleague, to pressurise the Minister to change his mind. Since taking office he has fallen out with every sector in the fishing industry, including the anglers, those involved in drift net fishing, draft net fishing and, now, the inshore fishermen. He is acting more like a dictator than a Minister. These proposals must be postponed and debated in the House before they are implemented. Let the House decide if they are in keeping with the regulations from Brussels.

What is happening is wrong. We are attacking the small people and rural Ireland while the big fishing fleets from Spain and other countries are mopping up our fishing industry as we do nothing about it. The Minister took a step in the right direction yesterday when he cut back on the tonnage aspect by 50%. He should now go further and abandon his proposals.

Dr. Moffatt:

I thank Deputy Ring for raising this matter on the Adjournment and for his introductory remarks. The Minister regrets he cannot be present. I am sure the Deputy will agree he has done tremendous work in Europe and that when these regulations are finalised they will produce a good result. It would be useful to first outline the legal position with regard to the licensing and registration of fishing vessels and the reasons behind the introduction of the new scheme for licensing and registration of vessels in the inshore fleet. All vessels including those under 12 metres in length which are engaged in commercial sea fishing are legally required to have a sea fishing boat licence and be entered on the Irish and EU fishing boat registers. This is set down in EU regulations which, as the Deputy is aware, are legally binding for member states. Accordingly, it is not possible to exempt commercial fishing vessels under 12 metres from the requirement to be licensed and registered. In addition, the EU sets down capacity limits for all member states' fishing fleets in the multi-annual guidance programmes. In order for Ireland to comply with its binding limits the current legal position is that 100% replacement capacity must be provided before a vessel can be licensed and registered.

Since taking office the Minister has identified as a priority the introduction of new management measures to allow for the development of the inshore sector. The inshore fishing industry is of significant economic importance to coastal communities all around Ireland: over 3,700 people are employed in the sector with 12,000 dependants and landings worth some €36 million per annum. It is clearly a very important sector and he is committed to protecting and providing for its sustainable development into the future. He has already set up seven inshore committees around the coast with full-time BIM inshore development officers working with the local fishermen. He has also substantially increased investment support for the inshore sector and over €2 million has been earmarked this year for initiatives for the inshore sector around the coast.

In tandem with these initiatives, he has asked his Department and BIM to bring forward new proposals for the sustainable management of the inshore resource. As a first step he asked BIM to carry out a survey of inshore fishing activity around the coast. The survey found that some of the traditional inshore fleet is outside the legal framework. Before introducing new management measures he considered that it was essential to give bona fide fishermen an opportunity to regularise their situation. He accordingly, introduced the new scheme for the licensing of vessels in the inshore sector that allows fishermen to provide 100% replacement capacity in three instalments.

BIM has held a series of information and consultation meetings throughout the coastal communities in relation to the scheme. Some reservations regarding the scheme were expressed at these meetings, principally on the grounds of affordability. Having reviewed legitimate concerns that have been expressed, he announced on 5 March that he would be seeking the approval of the EU Commission for proposed amendments to the scheme that would provide that vessel owners will only be required to provide 50% replacement capacity in respect of their vessel in the context of the creation of a new inshore segment in the fishing fleet. In pursuing this approach with the Commission, he will ensure that the present position of the significant majority of vessels in the inshore sector, which are presently licensed and registered, will not be affected. Pending receipt of Commission approval, the 5 July deadline for receipt of supporting documents and the provision of one third replacement capacity is to be deferred. No provisional licences will issue pending Commission approval. The closing date for receipt of applications under the scheme remains 28 March.

To abandon the new scheme, as the Deputy has suggested, would seriously undermine the future of the inshore sector. In introducing the amendments to the scheme which I have outlined, the Minister is responding positively to concerns raised while retaining the objective of having all vessels registered and licensed. He is confident that he will secure the agreement of the EU Commission to the changes to the scheme which he has already outlined. This agreement will enable bona fide inshore fishermen to become full participants in the effective and sustainable management of the inshore resource and secure their long-term future.