Vol. 426 No. 6
29 Mr. Timmins asked the Minister for the Marine if he has satisfied himself that small boat owners have not been victimised under the new rules governing registration of boats and trawlers and that the owners of a small number of super-trawlers have not benefited disproportionately.
The Merchant Shipping (Registry, Lettering and Numbering of Fishing Boats) Regulations, 1989, were introduced to enable the creation of a new register which more accurately reflected the size of the active fishing fleet.
I am fully satisfied that no vessel owner has suffered any discrimination as a result of the re-registration exercise. All boat owners were treated in exactly the same way.
