Vol. 416 No. 3
2 Mrs. Barnes asked the Minister for the Marine if, in view of the objective of economic and social cohesion in an integrated European Community, he will request the EC Commission to ensure that the ongoing review of the Common Fisheries Policy will take into account the under-developed state of the fishing industry in Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
As the Deputy will be aware, under the basic regulation on the management and conservation of fishery resources in Community waters—Council Regulation No. 170/83 — the EC Commission was required to present a report to the Council on the fisheries sector before the end of 1991. That report was circulated in December last. The purpose of the report is to stimulate discussion and to provide guidance for a debate in the various Community institutions prior to the tabling by the Commission in 1992 of proposals for the regulation of the fisheries sector in the period 1993-2002.
In the Commission's extensive report, at present being considered by a Council working group, there is clear acknowledgement of the need for special attention and concentrated support from Community resources and instruments to improving economic and social cohesion in the Community's more remote regions where fishing accounts for a substantial proportion of jobs and income.
During the coming discussions on the Common Fisheries Policy review at the Council of Fisheries Ministers, I will be pressing the Commission — as part of Ireland's case for a better deal in fishing — to bring forward specific and meaningful proposals that will reflect, in relation to the fisheries sector, the Treaty commitments on cohesion.
I am encouraged by the report's commitment to economic and social cohesion in the context of disadvantaged fishing communities. Ireland, as an Objective 1 region, in which significant sectors of the fishing industry are considerably under-developed, should be entitled to priority treatment under any measures designed to bring about cohesion.
I am heartened to hear the Minister say that special attention is being devoted to this, one of our greatest resources. Bearing in mind the Community commitment to social cohesion, in the light of the fact that sea fishing contributes 0.5 per cent only of our GDP and fishing overall 1 per cent of our jobs, and that in the most disadvantaged areas, would he say whether investment over and above the other quotas could be made here, particularly in downstream, land-based jobs, affording maximum value to landed fish where there is a huge gap?
The review is a major one affecting all our coastal communities and our overall fishing industry. Indeed, the future viability of such coastal communities is dependent on it. I am aware that it is dependent on having realistic, workable fishing quotas and on our having the fishing capacity, the capacity in boats, to catch all the fish available to us, including those we are not catching at present, approximately £10 million worth which we would hope to catch with different boats. All that will be a priority as far as I am concerned.
I realise that in some coastal communities employment created by the fishing industry and its ancillary activities can amount to 25 per cent of overall employment. Therefore, it is vital that we get a good package. I might add it will not be easy because various restrictions and constraints obtain already in relation to conservation as distinct from development, but it will be my intention to ensure that the maximum quantity of fish is processed as far as possible down the line. For example, there is an initial processing stage when the product can be exported, or there can be more value-added processing, all of which requires investment.
From the harbours and fishing facilities I have visited and seen so far, it is quite clear that many projects await investment, in which the fishing communities are prepared to invest but for which they need the requisite funds. I will be very committed to obtaining those funds for them. Indeed I see the doubling of the Structural Funds as a key element in this. It will be our task to get as much of those funds as possible having got the requisite recognition of the importance to us of our fishing industry.
