Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 8 Apr 1997

Vol. 477 No. 2

Written Answers - Fishing Vessels.

Joe Walsh

Question:

340 Mr. J. Walsh asked the Minister for the Marine if he will give an inventory of the Irish fishing fleet, including the average age of the fleet, the number of vessels under 12 metres, the number under 20 metres and the number over 30 metres; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9130/97]

Minister for the Marine (Mr. Barrett)

The average age of vessels in the Irish fishing fleet is just over 24 years.

The following table sets out the number of vessels in each of the categories requested. For the sake of clarity the number of vessels in other categories such as between 20 metres and 30 metres is also provided.

Size of Category	Number of vessels
(a) Under 12 metres	818
(b) Over 12 metres and under 20 metres	273
(c) Under 20 metres (c) = (a) + (b)	1,091
(d) Over 20 matres and under 30 metres	112
(e) Over 30 metres	43

The total number of vessels in the current Irish fleet amounts to 1,246. This represents a net reduction of 106 vessels since May 1996. This reduction is due to a number of factors such as the scrapping scheme which was introduced in 1996 and to the ongoing trend of rationalisation which has seen numbers of smaller less economically viable boats being replaced by larger safer vessels.