Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 20 Feb 1991

Vol. 405 No. 4

Written Answers. - Celtic Sea Herring Quota.

Austin Deasy

Question:

28 Mr. Deasy asked the Minister for the Marine if he will ensure that the herring catch in the Celtic Sea next season is organised so that the quota available is divided as evenly as possible between the western and eastern sectors.

Minister for the Marine (Mr. Wilson)

My objective in the management of the Celtic Sea fishery is to allocate the available quotas as evenly as possible over the main spawning seasons with a view to maximising income and employment both for the fishermen and the processors.

The fishery, which is primarily a roe fishery at present, can be divided broadly into two distinct elements from a spawning viewpoint.

First, the western element from Dingle to Cork Harbour, is an autumn fishery where the roe is suitable for commercial exploitation in the October to December period. The eastern element from Cork Harbour to Dunmore East is a winter-spring fishery where the roe is suitable for commercial exploitation in the December and early new year periods. Each year the quota is divided between the winter-spring fishery and the autumn fishery to ensure that fishermen in the various constituent parts are able to catch an equitable portion of the quota. Last year the fishery which was managed locally by the industry was closed on 30 November when the quota was exhausted.

The fishery reopened in January under the 1991 quota arrangements. A spawning area off Dunmore known as the Dunmore Box was closed to fishing for the period 15 to 31 January. This was a prearranged EC conservation measure involving the closure by rotation of one of the three main spawning areas in the Celtic Sea each year. For this reason the catch possibilities for fishermen operating in that area of the fishery were reduced in the period up to 31 January when the fishery closed as the winter-spring catch allocation agreed with the industry had been reached.

When the fishery reopens next autumn I will continue to monitor the rate of catching to ensure that the available quota is divided as evenly as possible between the eastern and western sectors.