asked the Minister for the Marine the steps he is taking to ensure an increase in Irish quotas for various species of fish to facilitate the Bord Iascaigh Mhara development plan for the four-year period between 1988 and 1991.
12.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Fishing Industry.
8.
asked the Minister for the Marine if his approval is required before the Revenue Commissioners issue licences for fishing vessels; and if he will outline the way in which it is proposed to meet the EC requirement of reducing fleet tonnage by 3 per cent on 1984 levels while, at the same time achieving an increase in fish landings from 218,000 tonnes to 405,000 by 1991, as proposed in the Bord Iascaigh Mhara development strategy for the seafishing industry 1988-91 with current quota restrictions applying.
I propose to take Questions Nos. 8 and 12 together. Sea-fishing boat licences are issued on the direction of the Minister for the Marine under the Fisheries (Amendment) Act, 1983. A fishing boat is not eligible to be registered with the Revenue Commissioners if it does not possess a licence.
The development plan for the industry prepared by BIM does not depend on increased quotas to fulfil its aims. The thrust of this plan is to exploit unused quotas for whitefish and prawns as well as increased landings of both demersal and pelagic species not subject to quotas, as well as shellfish. I have arranged for the Deputies to be furnished with copies of BIM's development strategy.
Would the Minister confirm that in terms of licensing his Department have suspended for the time being the issuing of licences for the commissioning of new trawlers? Could he indicate to the House what proposals he or his Department have with regard to the decommissioning of trawlers as they leave the fleet?
The question raised earlier related to beamers and not to the general question of licences. Reports issued as recently as today suggest that there is a complete embargo on licences but each case will be considered individually. Suggestions made by people in the industry regarding the embargo are mischievous and obviously have been made for political reasons.
My specific question was to inquire what steps have been taken to increase quotas. I appreciate that the Minister's answer is to suggest that the plans of BIM are based on non-quota species. Nonetheless, would the Minister not agree that a lot of the existing fleet, that must also be expanded and defended, rely upon quota species and that there must be an active campaign to improve upon the disastrous quotas that have been fixed for us since they were introduced in the EC? Would he confirm that his Department have active plans to put matters right there?
There has been an active campaign in this Department since both the Minister and I were appointed in March 1987. Shortly after our appointments we met former Commissioner Cunha and impressed upon him the necessity if the industry were to develop, to increase quotas. There is a perception — and I spoke on this subject on an Adjournment debate in reply to the Deputies opposite — that unless there is an increase in the mackerel quota there has been no success in Brussels. This year we had success almost right across the board, apart from the mackerel quota and we have a régime this year——
Why was there a 16 per cent reduction?
The increases achieved by us in Brussels in December last were of the order of £4 million. We do not have to entice our progressive fishermen to fish the unused quotas and also the non-quota species, such as horse mackerel, blue whiting, and argentines.
Given that there is a directive from the EC to reduce the tonnage of Irish boats by 3 per cent over the 1984 level and taking into account that the level has grown since 1984, how does the Minister reconcile that with the aim of landing almost double the catch in the next three years?
There is a question on that subject on the Order Paper today but if the Deputy wishes I can inform him that in 1983 the Coalition had agreed to a tonnage of 32,000 tonnes, which was scandalous. It was a political decision taken at that time but it might be wiser to answer that question in context.
Will the Minister explain why his Department have refused licences to young people who want to buy new boats? There appears to be no prospects of these young people buying boats and there appears to be an embargo. People have been told that directly by the Department.
Deputy Taylor-Quinn possibly got her information from "Morning Ireland". I have an account of the meeting which took place in our Department last Friday. Irrespective of who is in office, under the Fisheries Acts it is the Minister of the day who is empowered to issue a licence. We look at every application on its merits. If there was an application at present for a mackerel licence, I must tell the Deputy I consider we would be doing a disservice to the industry if we issued such a licence. We look at each specific application and the type of fish whether it is demersal, pelagic or non-quota species.
Mr. McGinley rose.
I have dwelt overlong on this question to the disadvantage of all the other questions.
Now that the issuing of further licences is brought into the political domain what criteria will be used in granting new licences? Will it be the size of the boat, a new boat, a secondhand boat? What other criteria will be applied?
I am surprised at my constituency colleague. The pattern has not changed. It has always been the same. If the Deputy wishes to familiarise himself with the criteria I can provide him with the Acts which stipulate that Minister Daly, and previous Ministers decide who receives licences. It is a matter for the Minister at the end of the day.