Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 29 May 1996

Vol. 466 No. 2

Written Answers. - Modernisation of Fishing Fleet.

John Browne

Question:

15 Mr. Browne (Wexford) asked the Minister for the Marine the average age of Ireland's fishing fleet; the plans, if any, he has to reduce the age of this fleet; the concerns, if any, he has regarding the safety and working conditions attached to the current fleet; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11164/96]

Trevor Sargent

Question:

33 Mr. Sargent asked the Minister for the Marine the plans, if any, he has to assist fishermen needing to replace vessels in order that seaworthy vessels can assume a level of safety which currently is compromised by an ageing fleet and pressure to fish in inclement weather and to maintain repayments on outstanding loans. [11006/96]

Kathleen Lynch

Question:

42 Kathleen Lynch asked the Minister for the Marine the progress, if any, which has been made towards reducing the age of the Irish offshore fleet and reaching the EU fleet targets; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11051/96]

Minister for the Marine (Mr. Barrett)

I propose to take Priority Questions Nos. 15, 33 and 42 together.

Current investment programmes, totalling some £31 million, for the modernisation of the fleet and the vessel decommissioning scheme are geared to improving the structure, efficiency and age profile of the fleet while delivering on our mandatory EU fleet targets. Continued good take up of modernisation grants and decommissioning premia will contribute directly to those overall objectives.

Under the modernisation scheme, 131 vessel modernisation projects involving total investment of over £15 million and grant aid of over £4 million have been approved since 1994. Under the decommissioning scheme 59 vessels have been approved for decommissioning grants to date.

The age and size characteristics of the vessels in the Irish fleet vary depending on the particular segment in which they operate. The average age of the fleet overall is just over 24 years. Within that average there are considerable variations by reference to size of vessel and type of fishing activity. The most modern parts of the fleet are the pelagic and the larger so-called polyvalent vessels which target white fish and other species with a variety of different fishing methods. As a result of the significant private investment in the Irish pelagic fleet in recent years it is now one of the most modern in the world. There has also been a trend in the polyvalent fleet to introduce larger and comparatively more modern second-hand vessels from abroad, to replace a number of the older, smaller and less efficient vessels.

The fleet safety debate has brought about a renewed focus on the broader issue of the economic development needs of the Irish fishing fleet. A thorough reappraisal of the options for renewal of the fleet, and the white fish fleet in particular, is both necessary and timely from all perspectives. I have, accordingly, requested my Department to comprehensively review the future direction of the fleet policy including the relative socio-economic and commercial merits of the introduction of new vessels into the fleet. To assist in this review, a consultancy study will analyse the options of renewal, taking account of the opportunities and the constraints, the economics of realising available fishing opportunities and the ongoing EU policy to address the overall EU fleet overcapacity problem. The study will also assess the impact of the various renewal options on future employment in the catching sector. I will be consulting closely with the industry in this detailed consideration of fleet policy issues.

I am giving the highest priority to addressing the safety issue in the fishing industry. It is a complex matter involving a wide range of factors. In view of the complexity and seriousness of the issue I established a high level review group of fishing vessel safety earlier this year. The group is analysing the many factors which have a bearing on fishing vessel safety, and I expect to receive its report very shortly. I will consider very carefully the recommendations in that report on how we and the industry can best set about improving safety standards in the Irish fleet.