Vol. 258 No. 7
I move:
That a supplementary sum not exceeding £10 be granted to defray the charge which will come in course of payment during the year ending 31st day of March, 1972, for Salaries and Expenses in connection with Sea and Inland Fisheries, including sundry grants-in-aid.
The net Estimate for 1971-72 amounts to £1,775,000 including a sum of £90,000 which was already the subject of a Supplementary Estimate. The total amount sought represents a decrease of £75,000 on last year's figure. The decrease is due to a reduction in the amount required to enable repayment to be made to the Central Fund of advances made to An Bord Iascaigh Mhara which were issued by the board to fishermen for the purchase of boats and gear and were later written-off as irrecoverable in the board's accounts. Disregarding this exceptional item, there is an increase of £250,000 over last year's requirements. Factors in this increase include an increase of £100,000 in the grant-in-aid to An Bord Iascaigh Mhara for capital purposes, an increase of £60,000 in the grant-in-aid to the board for administration and current development, an increase of almost £56,000 for inland fisheries development, an increase of over £13,000 for sea fisheries development and an increase of £5,000 in the grant-in-aid to the Salmon Research Trust of Ireland Incorporated.
The progress which has been evident in recent years in the development of our fishing industry was more marked than ever in 1970. In that year the value of landings of sea-fish and shellfish had reached almost £4 million which represented an increase of almost £1 million on the 1969 record figure. The increase in landings gave rise to a substantial increase in the value of exports of fish and fishery products of all kinds. During 1970 a record export figure of almost £4.6 million was achieved, representing an increase of 29 per cent on the previous year's figure and practically doubling the value of the exports achieved in 1967.
Although affected by the current difficulties relating to tourism, revenue from angling tourism was nevertheless estimated at just over £4 million in 1970, thus showing once again the value of angling to our economy. The total external income attributable to our fisheries, therefore, amounted to some £8.6 million in 1970.
Landings of sea-fish, other than shellfish, increased from 1,075,000 cwt. in 1969 to the record figure of 1,325,000 cwt. in 1970—shellfish being excluded because there are recorded partly by weight and partly by number. The total value of landings, including shellfish, rose from £2,404,000 in 1968 by 25 per cent to £2,996,000 in 1969 and by a further 31 per cent to £3,911,000 in 1970. While in both 1969 and 1970 all categories contributed to the increase, the herring catch was the predominant factor, increasing from £496,753 in 1968 to the record figure of £783,973 in 1969 and by a further 63 per cent to the new record figure of £1,275,442 in 1970. Shellfish, which also continued to increase in value, again accounted for approximately 28 per cent of the value of the catch in 1970. In addition to herrings, the varieties of fish which contributed most to fishermen's earnings in 1970 were lobsters, plaice, cod, Dublin Bay prawns, haddock, crawfish, whiting and ray/skate in that order.
I am pleased to say that the pattern of landings for the first eight months of 1971 for which final figures are available continued in the same satisfactory vein. The quantity of sea fish, excluding shellfish, landed was 62,000 cwt. greater than in the corresponding period of 1970 with an increase in value of more than £220,000. The value of shellfish landings also increased by almost £200,000 in the same period. The important herring fishery on the south coast, however, got off to a very slow start in November and December with a consequential drop in the quantity of herring landed during those months compared with the exceptionally high landings a year earlier. Despite this set-back, it is estimated that the total value of landings of all fish for 1971 will be of the order of £4.1 million, which is still the highest to date and represents an increase of about £200,000 on the 1970 figure.
As I have mentioned already the value of exports of fish and fishery products in 1970 was approximately £4.6 million, an increase of more than £1 million over 1969. The pattern of exports changed in 1970—wet fish, mainly herring, at £1,641,500 replacing shellfish as our principal export. Shellfish, however, at £1,594,000 followed closely while freshwater fish, mainly salmon, was next in importance, accounting for £1,363,000. Statistics for the first ten months of 1971 show an increase in the value of exports of almost £1,200,000 or 35 per cent more than the corresponding period in 1970.
Once again Britain was our best customer taking £1,889,410 or 41 per cent of our exports in 1970. Substantial exports were also made to the Continent, particularly to France, Germany and the Netherlands. Exports to the six member countries of the EEC amounted to £2,141,961 or 47 per cent of our total fish exports. Exports to the six countries of the EEC and to the other three applicant countries represented no less than 89.4 per cent of our 1970 fish exports, which augurs well for our marketing prospects on Ireland's entry into the Community.
As we all know, we are now embarking on an era of much greater competition for all sectors of our economy and, in common with other industries, the fishing industry must, if it is to develop, operate on the most efficient lines. Our skippers must keep abreast of modern fishing methods and techniques, they must acquire the skills necessary to operate successfully the larger vessels coming into the fleet and they must become expert in the use of all the modern aids to fishing. Similarly, the deck-hands must equip themselves to work as highly skilled operatives.
This highlights the need for first-class training facilities for the personnel of the fishing industry. The Government's decision to establish a permanent fishery school at Greencastle, County Donegal, has already been announced and, while progress has not been as rapid as I had hoped, due to technical difficulties outside the control of my Department, I am pleased to say that all the formalities have now been completed satisfactorily and the building work has now commenced. This school, which is being built for the Department by the National Building Agency, will replace the present temporary arrangements. It will cater for the training of new recruits to the industry by the provision of instruction in such subjects as seamanship, navigation, net-mending and cookery and will provide courses for experienced fishermen who wish to acquire their skipper tickets. The school will be available also for specialised courses in subjects such as engine maintenance and fish handling and for educating our fishermen in any facet of the industry in which specialised instruction may be required in the future.
In addition to providing training schemes to ensure the efficiency of our fishermen, it is necessary also for my Department to supplement this efficiency by maintaining a scientific programme designed to keep abreast of modern research and technology in the fisheries sphere. The conservation of existing stocks must be a top priority and efforts must continue to be directed towards locating lucrative new fishery grounds so that worthwhile expansion in fish landings will be possible. With the aid of the two fishery research vessels Cú Feasa and Cú na Mara exploratory work on the various species of fish is constantly being carried out and the results have proved invaluable towards planning the fisheries development programme.
The fish quality regulations, which were introduced in April, 1968, continue to operate. Deputies will recall that these regulations prescribe procedure and requirements for the proper handling, storing and transporting of demersal fish so as to ensure that only fish of the highest quality reach both our home and export markets. To this end the Department's team of fish quality officers carry out regular inspection of premises and boats where fish are accumulated for sale. I am pleased to be able to say that the effort of all concerned—both at sea and ashore—in improving the quality of our demersal fish is now showing good results, despite the occasional lapse by some who are not always as meticulous as the majority of the fishermen and the members of the fish trade. It is essential that this effort be maintained if the image of Ireland as the producer of the freshest fish in the world is to be justified.
As a further step in the planned expansion of the sea fishing industry I have recently made an order prohibiting, as from 1st April, 1972, the export of certain frozen fishery products save under licence. Export licences under the order will be granted only to persons, firms or co-operative societies who are licensed by the Institute for Industrial Research and Standards to use their standard mark on their products. This new export control, which is fully supported by the trade, has for its object the establishing on world markets of a quality image for Irish processed fish. Backed by effective promotion, the control should ensure an enhanced demand for our fishery products with consequential benefits for all sectors of the fishing industry. I hope to extend this type of export quality control to additional fish products according as standard specifications for them are formulated by the institute.
A feature of the processing industry in the past year has been the number of fish processing factories which have been enlarged. A number of new factories have also gone into production notably a shellfish processing factory at Killala, County Mayo, and one for the processing of herring and mackerel at Midleton, County Cork. The expansion which has taken place in fish processing in recent years has had the particular advantage that it provided outlets for species of fish such as crabs, sprats and sand-eels for which the demand otherwise would have been practically non-existent. The continued investment by both private enterprise and the State in the various fish processing factories provides an assurance for fishermen that they can dispose of increased landings without difficulty. This was borne out in the past year when large quantities of queen escallops and escallops were landed from new fisheries and were readily disposed of for processing. Increased landings of Dublin Bay prawns and mussels have also been readily absorbed at prices satisfactory to the fishermen.
The grant-in-aid to An Bord Iascaigh Mhara for 1971-72 for administration and current development amounts to £460,000 and the grant-in-aid for capital development amounts to £400,000 including the additional £90,000 to which I referred at the outset. The total of £860,000 represents an increase of £160,000 on the previous year's figure. In addition to these grants-in-aid, repayable advances are made to the board out of the Central Fund mainly to enable the board to give loans to fishermen to assist them in the purchase of boats and gear. The total amount of these advances authorised for the current year is £530,000 which can be supplemented by the board ploughing back into the industry a sum estimated at £200,000 in respect of part of the loan repayments by fishermen that are not immediately repayable by the board to the Central Fund. There is thus at the disposal of the board loan capital to the amount of £730,000 for 1971-72.
In addition, it will be observed from the Estimates that a provision of £71,406 is made for the repayment of advances by the board to the Central Fund. This sum is required to wipe out the board's indebtedness to the Central Fund for the period from 1st April, 1968, to 31st March, 1970, in relation to those cases where repayment of advances from the Central Fund was waived by the Minister for Finance following the writing-off in the board's accounts of a similar amount in respect of bad debts. The formal waiving of the repayments, which involves bringing the matter before the Dáil, is necessary so that a more realistic picture can be presented in the board's annual accounts.
The substantial increases in the funds being made available each year to an Bord Iascaigh Mhara reflect the growth which is taking place in the sea-fishing industry. I have already outlined the increases achieved during 1970 in the volume of fish landings and exports and the trends so far in 1971 are most encouraging. The immediate effect of this development is that there is a buoyant demand from fishermen for new vessels. As a result, the three boatyards operated by the board, as well as the many private boatyards, are working to full capacity and, as there is a tendency for many of our experienced skippers to turn over to larger vessels, the demands on the board for grants and loans under their marine credit plan have been mounted considerably. This sector of the board's activities represents capital investment in the industry which, I feel, is fully justified on the results which have been achieved to date and will, I am confident, pay rich dividends by way of further expansion of the industry in the years ahead. Likewise, in regard to the board's functions of providing advisory services to fishermen in the use of new fishing techniques and equipment and to fish processors and exporters in the marketing of fishery products, the growth of the industry gives rise to a greater demand on these services and, of course, to increased outlay.
As an indication of the present level of investment in the catching side of the industry, Deputies will be interested to know that in the year ended 31st March, 1971, the board assisted Irish fishermen in acquiring 58 new vessels and 26 secondhand vessels ranging from 26 feet to 82 feet in length. As 16 of the 26 secondhand vessels had previously been operated by other Irish fishermen, there was a net addition of 68 new and secondhand vessels to the fishing fleet during the year, excluding of course the small losses that arise from time to time through normal wastage.
As I have referred to the work of the board in developing markets at home and abroad for our fishery products, I should, I feel, pay tribute to the role being played by fishermen's co-operatives in this field. I am particularly pleased that the Irish Agricultural Organisation Society Ltd. who have been very helpful in the organisation of these co-operatives have recently appointed a full-time organiser to assist them in every way possible and as a result I look forward to still greater participation by fishermen's co-operatives in the industry.
My Department continue to be intensively engaged in planning the provision of new and improved fishery harbours and landing places around the coast in the interest of the sea fishing industry. The Office of Public Works carry out the actual engineering works and the technical appraisals necessary beforehand for all of which the element of State grant is provided via the vote for that Office. However, as is customary in dealing with the Fisheries Estimate, I would like to tell Deputies how matters in this field stand at present. At Dunmore East, Castletownbere, and Killybegs, work is progressing on the development of the ports as major fishery harbours as provided for in the Fishery Harbour Centres Act, 1968. Due to unavoidable delays, the works at Dunmore East which were to be finished last year are not now expected to be completed until later this year. At Castletownbere work is progressing satisfactorily and it is hoped that a contract will be placed in the near future by the Office of Public Works for the construction of a bridge from the mainland to Dinish Island where work on the provision of a new wharf is already in hands. It is expected that the development works at Castletownbere will be completed in 1974.
Development works at Killybegs were retarded because of problems relating to land acquisition. However, the Office of Public Works has invited tenders for the construction of a new pier and wharfs east of the town pier which will provide an additional 630 feet of discharging and servicing space for the Killybegs fishing fleet. The provision of this new pier is badly needed as the expansion of the local fishing fleet has greatly outpaced the rate of development of the harbour facilities. Following recent consultations with the Killybegs fishermen, and to meet their wishes, work is in hands to carry out other improvements including a modification of the design of the pier ladders, improved lighting and kerbing on the town pier. In addition the provision of extra berthing space at the Black Rock site and the provision of mooring facilities in the harbour are being investigated with a view to relieving congestion in the port.
In addition to the development works on the major fishery harbours to which I refer, special attention is also being given to the need for other new fishing ports and landing places and the improvement of existing facilities in the western counties and on the rest of our coastline. For that purpose the coastal surveys which were started in 1966 are being continued so that a comprehensive programme and an up-to-date appraisal will be available of the fishing ports and landing facilities which are required to meet the present and expected needs of the fishing industry. Surveys have been completed on the coasts of Cork, Kerry, Clare, Galway, Mayo, Sligo, Leitrim and Donegal. A survey of the coast of County Waterford is now being undertaken and will be followed by a survey of the east coast. During the past year improvement works for ports and landing places were approved for various places in Counties Kerry, Clare, Galway, Mayo and Donegal; harbour works are in progress in a number of places in Counties Cork, Kerry, Galway, Mayo, Donegal and Dublin; various works have been completed in Counties Kerry, Galway, Mayo, Donegal, Dublin and Wexford. In addition, boring surveys and technical investigations preparatory to undertaking improvement works have been carried out in three places in Counties Cork, Kerry and Donegal while navigation lights were erected at Tullaghan Bay, County Mayo and approval for erection of navigation lights has been given in four places in Counties Galway, Mayo, Sligo and Donegal.
As announced in May last, a contract was signed with the Decca Navigator Company Ltd., for the installation of an electronic navigational system to aid the development of Irish sea fisheries on the north-west, west and south coasts.
The system which involves the provision of one main transmitting station and three slave stations at selected sites in counties Donegal, Galway, Kerry and Waterford, is expected to be in operation by November, 1972. The whole coastline will then be fully covered by the Decca system as the east coast is already adequately serviced by stations located in Britain.
The system will enable fishing vessels to plot their exact position at any time. It will facilitate the navigation of trawlers to reach selected fishing grounds with the least possible delay and to return to port by the best route and without any loss of time due to darkness, bad weather, et cetera. The location of good fishing grounds can be recorded on charts so that by utilising the Decca system, the vessel can return at any time to the same location. The location of obstructions on the sea floor which could damage fishing gear can also be plotted for future guidance.
The establishment and operation of this Decca chain will cost the State about £¾ million, spread over ten years. This sum covers the capital cost of building and services to house the special transmitting apparatus and it also covers the annual leasing charge of the equipment to be operated by the Decca Company. It also covers the cost of designing specially overprinted charts for sale to fishermen in conjunction with their Decca receivers. The cost mentioned does not include the cost of receiving apparatus on board the fishing vessel, the arrangement there being that the receiving apparatus is rented privately by the vessel owner from the Decca Company
The most important development affecting our fisheries in recent years is, without doubt, Ireland's application for membership of the EEC. As Deputies are aware, one vital aspect of the EEC fisheries policy which came into operation on 1st February, 1971, had been a cause of concern to all of us. This concern arose from that part of the Community policy which provided for equality of access to and exploitation of fishery waters of each member State by the fishing vessels of the other member States. However, after protracted negotiations we have been successful in securing a satisfactory arrangement which has removed what we regarded as a serious threat to the livelihood of our fishermen and to the continued expansion of our fishing industry. This represented a major breakthrough, having regard to the position adopted by the Community earlier in the negotiations.
The arrangement, which will be subject to review after a ten-year period, reserves exclusively for Irish fishermen the waters stretching from the coast to a line six miles seaward of the existing baselines and this reserved zone extends around our entire coastline. In addition, the existing regime is also being retained in the six- to 12-mile zone from Lough Foyle to Cork Harbour for all species of fish and from Carlingford Lough to Carnsore Point for shellfish. The waters so protected provide over 90 per cent of our national catch.
I should also mention that four of the present member States of the Community and Britain already enjoy substantial fishing rights under the London Convention of 1964 in the remaining areas where vessels from member States will now be permitted to fish. We will also have the right to fish in large areas of the six- to 12-mile zone off the British coast from which our fishermen were previously excluded or restricted to specified species of fish. These additional rights will be particularly valuable to our fishermen for fishing off the easily accessible west coast from the Bristol Channel northwards.
As I have mentioned, this whole arrangement is to be reviewed in ten years time. In agreeing to this review, we had to be particularly careful to ensure that the formula adopted was not such as would debar us from securing a continuance of satisfactory arrangements at the end of the ten year period. Under the review clause finally agreed, the Council of the enlarged Community in deciding on the arrangements to apply after the ten-year period, must take into account the position of the fishing industry in member States and in particular the position of coastal populations dependent mainly on inshore fishing and the state of development of the inshore fishing industry.
As a member of the Council, we will be taking an active part in all its deliberations and will be in a position to ensure that our national interests in the fisheries sector will continue to be safeguarded by appropriate arrangements including the maintenance of special limits. Because of the natural concern throughout the past year about the access question, the many benefits available under the Community's common fisheries policy have tended to be overlooked while the negotiations lasted. We must, of course, take into account on the credit side the advantages for our fishing industry of the price supports, marketing arrangements and other aspects of the common policy.
In 1970 we exported fish and fishery products to the total value of £4.6 million. Of these exports over 89 per cent went to the EEC and the three other applicant countries, as I have already mentioned. Thus less than 11 per cent of our fish exports went to countries outside the EEC and the applicant countries. Our significant trade with the existing EEC countries has been achieved despite our exporters being hampered by import duties and in some cases by quantitative restrictions.
When we are members of the Community the abolition of these duties and other restrictions will greatly enhance the prospect for our trade and we will, of course, also retain our present free entry opportunities in the UK market. In view of the expansion which has taken place in our fishing industry in recent years it is essential that markets continue to develop. Our home market is limited so we must look to export markets to absorb our increased production. The main items we have available for export are herring, salmon and shellfish, fresh and processed—all products which will continue to be in good demand in the enlarged Community.
It is difficult to see what future there would be for our fishing industry if Britain, Norway and Denmark joined the Community and we remained outside. In such event we could lose our free access to the British market and find ourselves confronted with the same restrictions which at present limit our trade with the EEC. More than this, Community fish would then enjoy free access to the British market.
Apart from improved export market prospects there are other aspects of the EEC regulations which should benefit our fishermen. There is provision for the fixing of guide and withdrawal prices for a number of varieties of fish. These include varieties in which we are interested, such as herring, cod, black pollock, haddock, whiting, mackerel and plaice. The prices fixed in the EEC for 1972 are generally higher than the prices hitherto obtained by our fishermen. The present fish prices will be gradually equated to the EEC prices over the five year transitional period. Accordingly, our fishermen can expect an increased return for their catches of the varieties involved.
Support arrangements will provide the added advantage of reasonable prices even in times of heavy landings. Financial assistance will be made available to producer organisations of fishermen to encourage their establishment, to facilitate their functioning and to enable them to compensate members whose produce is withdrawn from the market under the withdrawal price arrangement for marketing support. The advantages of these measures should offset any effects of the freeing from quantitative control of imports into Ireland of fish and fish products from other member countries.
There will also be special measures to protect the market against imports from non-member countries and for the subsidisation of exports to such countries, if required. As an added protection for home landed fish, the Government recently imposed duties on imported fresh, chilled or frozen fish at rates equivalent to the common customs tariff of the EEC. We previously had no duty on whole fish and only a small duty on fish fillets in this category. The new duties will be phased out in intra-Community trade during the transitional period but will be retained against non-member countries.
The common fisheries policy also provides for grant assistance from Community finances towards measures taken to increase productivity. Thus, for example, grants can be provided for the improvement of fishing fleets and fishery research. This again should be of considerable advantage to us at the present stage of development of our fishing industry. It will enable us to continue the expansion of our fishing fleet, to intensify the search for new fishing grounds, and to develop new fishing techniques.
Now that a satisfactory solution has been found to the access issue, I am confident that our fishing industry will not only continue to expand but will do so at a more rapid rate than heretofore as a result of EEC membership.
I will now turn to inland fisheries. The overall catches for salmon in 1970 were satisfactory being slightly greater than for the previous year, and on a level with the sustained high runs which have occurred since 1962, despite disease and other disturbing factors. The market value in 1970 was maintained at a satisfactory level, again somewhat higher than that in the preceding year. The total weight of the catch for the year 1970 by all fishing methods was 31,345 cwt., valued at £1,228,762 as compared with 30,391 cwt., valued at £1,107,788, in 1969. These figures do not include those for sea-trout which are relatively of minor importance. For 1971, the full returns of catches and compilation of figures will not be to hand for some months yet but the figures of exports of salmon up to 31st October were 18,966 cwt., valued at £1,170,712, as against 21,427 cwt., valued at £1,043,050, for the same period in 1970.
The quantity of salmon exported in 1970 was 23,287 cwts., valued at £1,216,481, as against 20,101 cwts. valued at £1,172,694, in 1969. Some of the salmon is, of course, exported in processed form which increased the unit value compared with landed value. Officers of my Department continued to keep a check on the standard of Irish salmon as exported.
Conditions for angling were only fair for the season as a whole in 1970 because the weather was dry as in 1969 and did not favour rod fishing. The number of salmon rod licences issued at 11,446 showed an increase compared with 10,756 in 1969. The weight of salmon taken by rod and line in 1970 was 136,849 lb., as compared with 182,248 lb. in 1969.
The Commission on Inland Fisheries set up to examine the problems inherent in the development, conservation and utilisation of our inland fisheries in June, 1970, continue to investigate all aspects of inland fisheries. It must be accepted that because of the complexity of the subject some considerable time must elapse before they will have completed their work and made recommendations The commission have, however, submitted an interim report on drift net fishing which has been published and comments sought from anyone interested. This report recommends regulating drift net fishing for salmon at sea with the object of maintaining the livelihood of fishermen when salmon catches are of vital importance to the economy of many of our seaboard communities.
The Joint International Working Group from the International Commission for the North East Atlantic Fisheries and the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea, who have been studying the implications of the high seas fishing for salmon which takes place in waters off Greenland and also in the North East Atlantic, continued their activities. The catches in both regions are still a cause of concern. So far Ireland is less seriously affected than other countries with home water catches by the Greenland Fishery due to the fact that grilse forms the great bulk of our catches and these are not taken to any extent in Greenland waters. The development of the fishery in North East Atlantic waters could affect Irish stocks as there is evidence that some of the catch consists of fish in the grilse age-group.
At a meeting of the North East Atlantic Fisheries Commission in May. 1970, a recommendation was passed calling for restrictions by way of close season, et cetera on fishing for salmon outside national fishery limits. This was implemented in this country by the making of an order which came into force on 1st January, 1971. The commission in May, 1971, passed a recommendation for a total ban on salmon fishing in sea areas near the approaches of Ireland and the United Kingdom for a period of one year from the 1st January, 1972. The necessary order to give effect to this matter has now been made. It is to be understood, of course, that the major part of our drift netting for salmon at sea takes place within national fishery limits. The restrictions are, therefore, very much in our overall interest.
The work of protecting and developing the fisheries in fishery districts rests with the boards of conservators who do their utmost to preserve this natural resource. It is difficult to eliminate illegal fishing entirely but protection staffs succeed in keeping it under control to a reasonable extent. The conservators deal also with the threat of pollution which gives rise to damage to fish life chiefly in the forms of industrial effluent, domestic sewage and farm wastes. Poisonous or harmful discharges are punishable under fisheries legislation. The efforts of my Department in common with those of other responsible agencies are in general directed to guarding against pollution by inducing a livelier awareness on the part of possible polluters of the damage that they can do to fish. In pursuance of this general policy my Department have organised measures to reduce pollution from agricultural sources by co-operation between the fishery conservators and the advisory staffs of the county committees of agriculture. My Department are also represented on the inter-departmental group set up by the Minister for Local Government to make an assessment of the problems of air and water pollution and to make recommendations for coordinated measures of control.
On the development side, the conservators promote suitable work sometimes in collaboration with angling associations by arranging for the removal of obstacles to fish movement in rivers and clearing the spawning beds for better propagation. For such situations river improvement works grants are readily available to cover most of the cost. In any case in which technical advice is required the engineers of my Department give every assistance in the design and execution of the works.
