andMr. White asked the Minister for Fisheries and Forestry if he will outline details of the fishing effort by member states of the EEC within the Irish 200-mile limit, in particular the amounts of blue whiting and horse mackerel being taken by Danish and British fishermen respectively.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Fish Catches.
61.
Catches of fish are not recorded by reference to national fishery limits but by ICES (International Council for the Exploration of the Sea) zones which are the internationally accepted statistical areas for compilation of catch data. Information on catch effort as recorded by my Department only relates to catches taken by Irish fishermen according to ICES zones. However, the following is the information requested on catch data, as compiled by ICES, for those ICES zones which fall within the exclusive fishery limits of the State in respect of 1978 which is the latest year for which figures are available:
|
ICES Zone |
VI |
VII |
||
|
Country |
UK |
Denmark |
UK |
Denmark |
|
tonnes |
tonnes |
tonnes |
tonnes |
|
|
Blue Whiting |
3,593 |
13,738 |
Nil |
Nil |
|
Horse Mackerel |
53 |
Nil |
21 |
Nil |
It is a little bit unsatisfactory that we have figures for only 1978. This is March 1980 and we should have figures for 1979 as well.
I take it that the Minister is not quite satisfied with the manner of the monitoring and regulation of these catches and quotas. I ask him if he will keep an open mind and a very wary eye on what is going on in regard to the ignoring of the quotas in all respects in regard to all classes of fish not only around our coasts but around other coasts as well.
Up to recently the system of monitoring catches was left to the goodwill of the members of the boat involved. Because of agreements that were reached at the last Council meeting a log will now be kept and this will be subject to inspection by other member states. The details as to the amount caught and the area in which it is caught have to be kept up to date and there will be penalties for those who do not do that. This should be more satisfactory.
Will this be brought in under the new legislation the Minister is proposing?
Yes.