asked the Minister for Agriculture if he will take immediate steps to implement Article 9, paragraph 2, of the 1938 Trade Agreement with Great Britain, with a view to safeguarding the interests of Irish inshore fishermen.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - 1938 Trade Agreement.
I am not clear as to the respects in which the Deputy thinks action might appropriately be taken pursuant to Article 9 of this agreement. If he will indicate more specifically what steps he has in mind I shall be glad to consider the matter.
I take it from the reply that the Minister will be agreeable to meet the representatives of the inshore fishermen—Muintir na Mara—so that they can discuss the matters that have arisen recently in regard to inshore fishing, particularly with regard to the question of the dumping of 850 boxes of whiting during the months of September and October.
As the Deputy is aware, it is not uncommon practice, in the season when whiting shoal, for fishermen to go out, load their boats with whiting and dump it on the domestic market, preferring to resort to that relatively easy procedure rather than to proceed beyond the shoaling ground to the fishing ground where prime fish is readily to be had. There is no means whereby any marketing authority in this country can dispose of unlimited quantities of whiting when a number of fishermen elect to trawl in shoals of whiting adjacent to the shore. But, before receiving a deputation from Muintir na Mara, I would like to discuss with the Deputy, if he is interested, any problem relating to the fishing industry or the interest of the fishermen with which he is concerned.