Vol. 408 No. 5
45 Mr. Gilmore asked the Minister for the Marine the regulations or controls which exist in relation to the operation of beam trawlers in Irish fishing waters; and if there has been any reports of such trawlers scraping the sea bed.
Controls applicable to fishing by beamer trawlers in Irish fishing waters are set out in Council Regulation (EEC) No. 3094/86. In this regulation specific restrictions are imposed on the operation of beam trawlers. These restrictions which are set out in Article 9 (2) — (5) include a prohibition on the use of beam trawls within 12 miles of the coasts of Ireland and the United Kingdom.
Beam trawling, which is a particularly effective means of fishing certain species such as sole and plaice, involves, because of the techniques used, the scraping of the sea bed. A recent EC Commission report prepared by the Scientific and Technical Committee for Fisheries reiterated its earlier advice that there was no evidence to suggest that effects of beam trawling on the sea bed were adverse for commerically important fish species.
The report recognised that further research was needed into the effects on the sea bed benthos of all sea-bed fishing gears and not only beam trawls. Such research should consider both short and long term effects on the benthos.
I am, nevertheless, somewhat concerned about the potential risk to stocks from widespread beam trawling activities and it is my intention in the management of fleet development in the next five years to give greater priority to fishing methods which have a more positive impact on conservation generally.
