asked the Minister for Defence if he will make a statement on the allegation by the Irish Fishermen's Organisation that the Dutch fleet are exceeding the allowable 5 per cent bye-catch of herring whilst fishing for mackerel in the Celtic Sea.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Celtic Sea Herring Catches.
13.
Naval Service boardings and inspections do not substantiate the allegation.
Is the Minister aware of the claim made by Dutch trawlermen that they were getting as much as a 15 per cent catch of herrings?
The question relates to an allegation made by the IFO. I have answered that question, and the Deputy is now raising a new matter.
The IFO allegation was based on the Dutch claim that they were getting 15 per cent.
It was published in the newspapers.
It was in The Irish Press on 18 July.
The answer I have given is that the allegations have not been substantiated by the boardings and inspections carried out by the Naval Service.
The Dutch got away.
We could have claims from all over the place. I cannot follow up every claim. The Deputy knows there are boardings on a fairly regular basis. There have been quite a large number of boardings of Dutch vessels. I observed a boarding myself some weeks back in the Celtic Sea. The fleet of Dutch vessels had been fishing in the area for some time. They had been boarded regularly by the crews of different Irish protection vessels, but on no occasion did they find herrings in the quantities alleged by the IFO.
The Dutch admitted it.
Will the Minister agree that it is impossible to administer a quota system—that the catch could be 5 per cent or 15 per cent or 20 per cent? How can it be enforced in respect of foreign vessels whether they are Dutch, German or third country vessels?
Common sense should tell the Deputy that it is not possible to give a 100 per cent guarantee. We have been trying to expand our protection fleet at a fairly rapid rate in order to provide a greater degree of inspections and patrols. The inspections and the boardings that have taken place have not borne out the allegations that have been made. I am not saying we can give a 100 per cent guarantee that some foreign vessels have not got away with something, but we are not aware that they have. The Naval Service are doing and have been doing an excellent job for the country. The hours that they work and the conditions in which they work can be strenuous. They have performed admirably with the facilities the State has made available. I am satisfied with the excellence of their work. I hope we will be able to expand our navy and that we will be able to increase our patrols. The inspection and the boardings we have undertaken so far do not bear out the allegations, but if Deputies have information available to them which would be of assistance in carrying out this work, I will be happy to have it examined.