asked the Minister for Fisheries and Forestry the estimated catch of (a) scad and (b) blue whiting by Denmark, Britain and other countries off the west coast of Ireland in 1979; the manner in which the catch was monitored; how far off the coast it was taken; and the degree of surveillance by our fishery patrols.
Written Answers. - Fish Catches.
171.
Catches of fish are not recorded by reference to national coastal areas but by ICES. (International Council for the Exploration of the Sea) zones which are the internationally accepted statistical areas for compilation of catch data. The following is the information requested on catch data, as compiled by ICES in respect of the year 1979 for those ICES zones within which lie all Irish waters West and North of the mouth of Shannon Estuary.
|
ICES Zone |
VI |
VIIBC |
||||
|
Country |
UK Tonnes |
Denmark Tonnes |
Other Countries Tonnes |
UK Tonnes |
Denmark Tonnes |
Other Countries Tonnes |
|
Scad |
114 |
443 |
6,658 |
11 |
4,222 |
3,727 |
|
Blue Whiting |
3,009 |
13,046 |
112,090 |
Nil |
Nil |
6,725 |
Fishing for scad and blue whiting by foreign vessels in Irish waters is subject to normal Naval and Air Corps Services monitoring and surveillance but details are not available as to where precisely the catches occur.