: In the debate we had one constructive contribution from Fine Gael by Deputy Deasy and one contribution from the Labour Party from Deputy Treacy. Limited as the contributions were to one speaker from each party it is obvious now that there is in fact nothing but froth in a great deal of the irresponsible and destructive criticism of fisheries and from the information I have had from fishery officers around the coast and from the fishermen themselves and their organisations that is exactly the opinion to which I have come. In fact, the prosperity in the sea fishing industry at the moment far outweighs the unreality of most of the frothy criticism that has gone on here from time to time and has also been reported in the newspapers.
The prosperity of the fisheries is borne out by the representatives of the various organisations, particularly the organisation on the catching side of the industry. One does on occasion have the odd scare headline which tends to put a somewhat tainted image on what is in fact a steadily progressive industry. To bear out what I am saying I shall now give the House some facts. The final figures have come to hand for sea fishery landings and exports in 1977 as against 1976. I am glad to say there were increased landings of sea fish at Irish ports in 1977 compared with 1976. The increase was substantial when one remembers that very serious conservation measures were in force during 1977, conservation measures which restricted herring landings in particular, conservation measures rendered essential in order to preserve the basic stock resources of this very valuable fish.
The figures tell their own story. The value of sea fish landings in 1976 was £12.9 million sterling. The value rose to £18.7 million last year, an increase of nearly 50 per cent in the value of sea fish landings. During the same period, 1976 and 1977, the value of sea fish exports increased from £20.6 million in 1976 to £25.4 million in 1977.
The landings' figure is substantial. The value of landings increased by 50 per cent in 1977 as against 1976, in spite of the fact that the traditional lucrative herring fishery in the Celtic Sea was totally closed, and very partial bands were operating in regard to herring fishing in the north-west and the western coast areas. Of course, that again represents lucrative fishing. In spite of the very necessary conservation measures which tended to pull down the overall volume figures of landings and value figures, the volume of the landings figures were up from 80,700 tons in 1976 to 84,200 tons in 1977 and the value of these landings increased from £12.9 million to £18.7 million, representing an increase of 50 per cent.
These figures put this whole situation into perspective. They show the reality behind the froth is that we have got a steadily prospering sea fishing industry, an industry which needs to be minded, protected and guarded by imposing, on scientific advice at all stages, the necessary conservation measures which may be required to protect and enhance the various stocks as they become endangered. I cannot place enough emphasis on conservation. There is now a growing awareness nationally and within the Community, and internationally beyond the Community, of the importance of conserving fish stocks.
If the situation of a few years ago were allowed to continue unimpeded and unhindered, we were facing a drastic diminution of fish stocks which if the pattern continued, would have led to the virtual elimination of fish stocks in the oceans and sea waters of the world. That is now being arrested not just in Ireland but throughout the Community, where very serious action is being taken in regard to the North Sea herring stocks, and throughout the world.
With the creation of the 200-mile zone, which I feel will be finally legitimised as the norm for every country under the Law of the Sea Conference when it is finalised—it has not come to finalisation yet, but so many countries have now adopted the 200-mile zone that I feel it will become the norm—far more effective policing and monitoring of fishing can take place to ensure the preservation and conservation of stocks and to organise fishing on a far more scientific basis than heretofore, when the oceans of the world were wide open to unlimited, unhindered and unimpeded fishing by countries who specialise in deep sea trawling and deep sea fishing in every and any water to which they could get access. I mention that point because it is important to put that whole aspect of our fisheries into the proper, responsible and constructive context.
Deputy Deasy spoke very rightly about the important aspect which follows on the catching endeavour, that is, the whole aspect of processing fish on shore and to ensure we have got the onshore facilities to process fish. The employment factor comes in here, which is far more important in the long term, in my opinion, from the social point of view, even than the catching aspect. Shore employment can yield anything from 5:1 to 10:1 as against employment on boats. With boats now going more technological in regard to catching gear and employing fewer, the tendency is for a higher proportion, a growing proportion, to be employed in added-value shore fishing industries.
Deputy Deasy spoke rightly of the unnecessarily high level of imports of processed fish. I agree with him that much more sophisticated forms of processing are essential. This applies in the food industry generally, but we are dealing here with the fishing industry. In conjunction with the IDA we have embarked on a positive campaign to encourage such added-value processing. We had a very real success in Donegal where an excellent Irish firm have been established and are canning both herring and mackerel in a very sophisticated form under a world wide brand label. We hope to establish a sprat cannery in the near future.
Some very interesting proposals are coming forward in regard to Castletownbere where the industrial estate is now being completed. I have directed that a special drive be undertaken by the Industrial Development Authority and Bord Iascaigh Mhara to secure the required onshore factories for the industrial sites which are now in the final stage of completion in Castletownbere, where the bridge is being completed to Inish Island, where the industrial side is located, where the harbour works are nearly finished, and where we will have room for 16 to 18 factories inside a matter of months. There are some very interesting proposals providing for full vertical fish processing at every level from freezing right up to canning. Every conceivable type of processing will be envisaged under these specific proposals on which I hope to be in a position to make specific pronouncements in the very near future.
I want to emphasise that what we want in regard to fish processing is to increase landings and, if necessary, to engage in joint venture operations of that kind involving outside firms linking up with Irish firms, and outside catchers linking up with such onshore processing developments. I have discussed this matter with the Irish fishing organisations. They see no objection to such developments, provided the outside catchers coming in here relate their landings directly to onshore processing in Ireland. The fresh market within the Republic will not be affected in any way by such landings. I see Castletownbere in particular offering itself as a very likely centre for the type of development I have just mentioned.
Killybegs continues to be the major fishing port in terms of landings. I am very glad to be able to say that the auction hall, which will be an essential part of the selling and distribution of fish landed in Killybegs, has now been cleared and is going to tender in a matter of weeks. I hope it will be built and completed before the end of the year. With regard to other developments in Killybegs a syncro-lift has been sanctioned. Certain filling work is required there. This is ready to be started within a matter of weeks. Tender advertisements will be published very shortly and work can proceed. The two outstanding works necessary at the moment to make Killybegs a fully sophisticated port should be completed by the end of this year.
The Howth works will also be going out to tender in a matter of weeks. That is a much longer development and will take some years. The first stage of the port development work should also commence before the end of the year.
It is essential today to have proper landing and processing facilities. All that area of investment in the fishing industry is going to be even more important in the future than the catching side of it. We must build side by side with the catching side an important industrial arm. With that in view I propose to ensure a major development to make Rossaveel the major fishery harbour for the west and to orientate Galway more and more towards its natural development as a commercial harbour. A substantial pier has already been built at Rossaveel where fishing activity has grown in terms of personnel and boats. All we need to do now is to build the infra-structure on shore to make Rossaveel a major fishery harbour as far as the west is concerned. The development of fish stocks has been very heartening in the whole area from Loop Head to Belmullet. There will be substantially improved fish stocks in that area and a new herring fishery has developed substantially there in the past two years.
Other fishery harbours are going to be developed as well. We have development in hands at the moment at 29 other landing places around the country including major works at Greencastle, Burtonport, Cahirciveen, Skerries and Clogher Head. Castletownbere, Rossaveel and Killybegs are the major important works in hand at present.
Deputy Deasy rightly raised the point, in the course of his contribution, that the operations of Spanish fishermen need to be looked at closely. I share his view and I have taken some action on that point. I concur completely that there were a large number of Spanish fishermen fishing without a licence in our waters and that the fines were not acting as a deterrent; in other words we had a disorganised situation. I have taken that up as a matter of urgency with the Commission. As far as Spanish vessels are concerned the Commission have agreed, following my representation, that the number of Spanish vessels to be licenced under the current Spanish Autonomous Agreement be considerably reduced. That means cutting by approximately half the number of Spanish boats functioning within 20 miles of our coasts. The discussions are still going on. Gill netting by Spanish vessels which was causing harm to our fish stocks is banned. Hopefully, that is the regime that we will impose for Spanish vessels, who have been the main offenders in the current year as far as third countries are concerned. We have taken up the matter actively with the EEC.
Deputy Deasy has raised the question of the serious position obtaining in regard to sea fishing arising out of the recent High Court decision which held that the District Court was not the appropriate court to impose forfeitures involving substantial loss to the offending parties and that this type of offence carrying a forfeiture required to be met in a higher court. That is as briefly as I can put it, the gist of the High Court decision. Deputy Deasy has brought in his own measure on that account. With all respect to him, I will have a more comprehensive measure, because I have the facilities of the draughtsman's office available to me, and my measure will involve the principles set out in Deputy Deasy's Bill. I hope to have it in hand inside two weeks, and perhaps we could usefully discuss, through the Whips with the Ceann Comhairle's office the need to merge the two debates. I do not see the point in pursuing two different legislative measures at the same time when we are trying to achieve the same thing. Our Bill is the more comprehensive. It was delayed because of the constitutional and legal points that had to be got over, and they were gone into in considerable detail by the Attorney General personally to ensure that we are not faced with another legal contretemps in six months' time when the Bill becomes law. This was the reason for the care in the preparation of the Bill.
