Vol. 518 No. 6
146 Mr. Howlin asked the Minister for the Marine and Natural Resources the total number of licences issued by his Department to fish scallops; the number of licence applications currently being considered in his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12950/00]
A sea fishing boat licence granted under section 222B, as amended, of the Fisheries Consolidation Act, 1959, permits the holder to fish for bivalve molluscs, including scallops, unless it contains a term or condition expressly precluding such fishing. There are also certain sea fishing boat licences which permit the holder to fish only for bivalve molluscs.
No further applications have been accepted since 14 April 1999 for sea fishing boat licences authorising the holders to fish only for bivalve molluscs. This decision was taken, pending a review of the State of stocks and levels of fishing activity, in the interests of the conservation and rational exploitation of the fish stocks concerned. Some 27 fishing boat licences permitting fishing only for bivalve molluscs have been granted since then on foot of applications received before that date, and licence offers have been made in 27 other cases where applications were received before then.
