Vol. 504 No. 6
25 Mr. Connaughton asked the Minister for the Marine and Natural Resources the status regarding the legal challenge by the Government in support of fishermen regarding the ban on tuna fishing; and the amount of expenditure incurred by it to date on its legal submission. [12359/99]
The June 1998 Council of Fisheries Ministers adopted Regulation 1239/98 which bans driftnetting for tuna in the North Atlantic and Mediterranean with effect from 1 January 2002. Ireland and France voted against the adoption while Italy abstained. I opposed the ban on the basis that the council decision was arbitrary, given the absence of conclusive scientific justification for the ban.
French tuna fishermen registered an application with the Court of First Instance on 1 August 1998 instituting annulment proceedings against Council Regulation 1239/98. In line with our position on the driftnet ban, I secured Government approval to the submission by Ireland of a written intervention in the case. Notification of Ireland's intention to intervene was lodged accordingly with the Court of First Instance before 7 February 1999 deadline for such notifications. I understand that the Irish Tuna Association has lodged a similar notification.
26 Mr. Deasy asked the Minister for the Marine and Natural Resources if his attention has been drawn to the fact that catches of whitefish by inshore Irish trawlers, particularly along the southern coast, have suffered a severe decline due to over fishing in the outlying fisheries by larger trawlers, some of which are Irish; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12435/99]
While recorded and other estimations of catches and landings by inshore fishing vessels along the southern coast do not suggest a severe decline in demersal catches, it is the case generally that the exploitation of inshore fishery resources by larger vessels is one of the challenges for the long-term conservation of inshore stocks and many of those stocks are currently fully exploited. The need for enhanced conservation, management and development strategies for the inshore fisheries stocks is one of the issues being addressed in the current strategic review of the inshore fisheries resource. BIM, at my request has recently undertaken a comprehensive analysis of the inshore sector. This analysis, which I expect to receive and publish shortly, will inform strategies for addressing conservation, structural management and co-operation issues inherent in the sustainable development and protection of the inshore fisheries resource.
