Thank you for allowing me raise this crucial matter on the adjournment. The presence in the House of the Minister for the Marine and Natural Resources to reply to the debate shows the importance which he attaches to this proposal also.
The proposal by the Commission to introduce an Irish quota of 14,000 tonnes of blue whiting is disgraceful and against our interests and will have disastrous consequences for the pelagic fishing industry, particularly in Donegal.
Blue whiting is a relatively new pelagic species as far as the Irish fishing industry is concerned. Prior to 1998, it hardly figured in our catches. However, in 1998 it is estimated that we caught approximately 35,000 tonnes and this year the estimated catch is in excess of 40,000 tonnes – a very significant contribution to the overall catch. While blue whiting is not as lucrative as other species, such as mackerel, horse mackerel and herring, it fills a crucial gap nevertheless in the pelagic fishing season and makes a critical contribution to the running and maintenance of the pelagic fleet.
According to the Commission's proposals the total allowable catch for blue whiting, excluding Norway, is approximately 133,000 tonnes and we are being offered a derisory 14,000 tonnes or approximately 10 per cent. This is simply disgraceful, discriminatory and absolutely unacceptable. If implemented, it would be a severe body blow to the pelagic fishing industry, particularly in Killybegs and the Donegal area. It would deflate the economy of the region from the point of view of employment, income and the very viability of the fleet. We simply cannot allow that to happen.
While we cannot control the total allowable catch for this species – that is primarily a matter for the marine scientists – we are certainly entitled to have a major say in how the quotas are allocated, bearing in mind that we are an island state and that such a high percentage of EU fishing waters come within our territorial area.
The criterion used on this occasion for allocating the quota is based on the so-called "historical performance" in the past five years. This is a loading of the dice against Irish interests and is designed to accommodate the larger players such as the Dutch, the British and the Norwegians who are being given more than 80,000 tonnes.
The historical performance method is discriminatory as the blue whiting did not figure in our industry until two years ago. When the horse mackerel quota was being allocated a different method was used, again to accommodate the larger players. The historical performance method would have been more favourable to us on that occasion but the fishing bullies of Europe made sure we could not avail of it. What is sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander. These proposals must be opposed most vehemently at the highest political level. We cannot afford another sell-out in fisheries.
The Taoiseach must become involved in this matter because a vital national interest is at risk. The issue must be addressed at the leaders' summit in Cologne today. I understand from the Minister's contribution on the Order of Business that the issue may arise.
Our first priority must be to have these daft and discriminatory proposals scuppered and abandoned. A fairer and more balanced method must be employed which will recognise our dependence on the fishing industry and the potentially important future role of the blue whiting species in the maintenance and development of the industry. Failure to do so will have disastrous consequences for the future of the pelagic fishing industry which plays such an important role in the economy of peripheral areas of County Donegal.
