andMr. Kyne asked the Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries if he has received a complaint from the South East Coast Fishermen's Association to the effect that their members are being subjected to unfair competition by the research vessels Cú Feasa and Cú na Mara which, it is alleged, fish commercially and sell in direct competition with the herring fleet.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Unfair Fishing Competition.
24.
The reply to the question is "Yes".
These vessels are engaged at present in rendering a valuable service to fishermen in locating shoals of herrings and in conducting research into the shoaling habits of herrings in the vicinity of Dunmore East. The catching of herrings in commercial quantities is incidental to, but an essential part of, this work and I am satisfied that there is no unfair competition with the herring fleet.
I am informed that these two boats were employed in order to help fishermen and to advise them where the shoals of herring were. This they are not engaging in now. They are engaging in commercial fishing and they are at a tremendous advantage over the ordinary fishermen because they are not entirely dependent on their catch and can, therefore, leave the herring grounds and arrive at the harbour an hour or two before the ordinary fishing fleet; consequently they are in a position to command the best price, and this to the disadvantage of the ordinary fishermen.
This in-pair trawling is regarded as a very effective, if not the most effective, method of shoal fishing. It has only been possible this year in Dunmore East. Undoubtedly two commercial catches were made. Now what do we do? Do we dump the fish overboard or do we bring it into port, as we have been doing? In regard to the two days about which complaint is made, the 15th and 16th, on the 15th out of 700 cran landed at Dunmore East, these two trawlers accounted for 100. They fetched the highest price. That may have been because they were in earlier than the others. The price was good—£7 5s per cran. All the other crans were sold, and it beats me, therefore, how the sale of herrings from our own two boats could be regarded as unfair competition.
On the 16th, the trawlers accounted for somewhere around 25 crans. Again, the 25 crans were sold at £5 14s 0d per cran, which was not as good a price as on the previous day, although the catch was smaller. However, I presume those are the difficulties inherent in marketing. Again, it was the top price of the day. No fish were left unsold. The total percentage of landings accounted for on these two days was not a significant factor and it is not one the fishermen should, I think, complain about. Had fish remained unsold as a result of very heavy landings by these in-pair trawlers one could understand complaint, but, at the moment, I am at a loss to understand the complaints, particularly as these vessels are there to help the fishermen. They have rendered valuable help and will, I am sure, continue to do so. Other parts of the coast are crying out for these vessels to explore the availability of fish, but I am loath to take them out of Dunmore East merely because someone feels there is unfair competition. They are doing a good job and it would be wrong to take them away.
Could the Minister tell me what they have been doing in recent weeks in Dunmore? They have been catching fish.
Have they been training the crews of the other boats how to operate this in-pair fishing, so to speak?
It is not a matter of training fishermen. It is, first of all, a matter of exploring the usefulness of this method and, if a good return arises from this type of trawling, then, by example, to encourage others to pair likewise.
Question No. 25.
Has the Minister made any local inquiries about the operations of these two vessels?
I have.
And he is satisfied they are performing the duties for which they were sent down there?
That is my understanding.
My information is that they are just catching fish and selling it.
There is no point in having an argument about it: they are catching fish.
I want the Minister to satisfy himself they are doing the duties for which they were appointed.
They are catching fish and in a more effective way than the traditional method. If success is assured, then the other fishermen can likewise pair in order to improve their catches.
Have they not been operating in this way for at least two years?
No. According to my information, this is the first time they have engaged in commercial fishing.