Vol. 525 No. 2
248 Mr. Connaughton asked the Minister for the Marine and Natural Resources the proposals he has to give lobster fishermen, who have no tonnage or licence, an opportunity to secure such a licence in view of the fact that such fishermen are fishing for lobster traditionally and depend on it for their income to a large degree. [23944/00]
The licensing of vessels proposing to fish for lobster is subject to the normal conditions and requirements of licensing policy, including the removal of full equivalent capacity from the sea fishing boat register. This policy is designed to ensure compliance with the mandatory capacity objectives for the Irish fishing fleet which are set down in the EU multi-annual guidance programme for Ireland up to the end of 2001.
A special scheme was introduced some years ago, with EU approval, to regularise the position of small fishing vessels which, although part of the fishing fleet, had not been formally licensed or registered. The closing date for receipt of applications under the scheme, which applied to small vessels which were demonstrably part of the fleet prior to 1989, was 17 February 1995.
There are no proposals at present for a further scheme of this nature, which would require EU approval. I have, however, asked my Department to examine whether there is any objective necessity for pursuing the case for a further scheme with the Commission, in the context of the overall circumstances of the inshore fisheries sector, as well as the implications for overall fleet management policy.
