Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 20 Mar 2002

Vol. 550 No. 4

Written Answers. - Fishing Vessel Licences.

Michael Ring

Question:

165 Mr. Ring asked the Minister for the Marine and Natural Resources if he will consider setting up a national reserve scheme for tonnage, similar to the one for sheep quota, which would allow the people most in need of tonnage to apply from the national reserve. [9160/02]

Michael Ring

Question:

166 Mr. Ring asked the Minister for the Marine and Natural Resources the number of people nationwide who have tonnage but are not actually using it; his plans to introduce a scheme, similar to the national reserve scheme for sheep quota, whereby tonnage not used is clawed back into a national reserve; and his proposals in this regard. [9161/02]

Minister for the Marine and Natural Resources (Mr. Fahey)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 165 and 166 together.

I do not have details available of the number of people who have tonnage but are not actually using it. The current policy in relation to fleet capacity provides that the capacity withdrawn from the fishing boat register when a fishing vessel is de-registered is retained in its entirety by the vessel owner. The vessel owner may sell this capacity to a third party or use it to licence and register a new vessel without any deduction being applied. There are no limits applied to the length of time this capacity may be held off the register.

In the context of the planned review of fishing vessel licensing policy, which will be commencing shortly, I will ask the review group to examine the policy in respect of the national reserve for sheep quota and make recommendations in relation to its application to the management of fleet capacity.

Michael Ring

Question:

167 Mr. Ring asked the Minister for the Marine and Natural Resources the locations where tonnage was allocated for the past five years, on a county basis. [9162/02]

Minister for the Marine and Natural Resources (Mr. Fahey)

I assume the Deputy is referring to tonnage granted in respect of fishing vessels for licensing under the terms of the 1995 special scheme introduced to regularise the position of vessels not previously licensed and registered, and in respect of vessels under a recent scheme for replacement capacity for vessels lost at sea. The total gross registered tonnage approved under both schemes, on a county basis, is set out in the following table.

County Clare	4.61
County Cork	430.08
County Donegal	239.63
County Dublin	62.93
County Galway	766.36
County Kerry	368.24
County Kildare	29.74
County Louth	80.39
County Mayo	250.80
County Sligo	15.56
County Waterford	21.17
County Wexford	71.74
County Wicklow	60.46

168.

Mr. Ring asked the Minister for the Marine and Natural Resources the situation in relation to the tonnage for boats; and if a date has been set for boats to be registered by, in particular for boats used for oyster dredging. [9300/02]

Minister for the Marine and Natural Resources (Mr. Fahey)

All vessels that are engaged in commercial sea fishing, including oyster dredgers, are legally required to be licensed and registered. As a general policy 100% replacement capacity, tonnage and power, is required in respect of vessels being introduced into the segments of the fleet governed by EU regulation, pelagic, beamer and polyvalent segments. Oyster dredgers are normally licensed and registered in the specific fleet segment which is not governed by EU regulations.

A moratorium on the introduction of vessels into the specific segment of the Irish fleet was introduced in April 1999. This moratorium applies to vessels targeting wild stocks. It was considered necessary to adopt this policy in order to protect wild bi-valve mollusc stocks, due to their importance for inshore fishing. Accordingly, the Department will only consider licensing vessels in the specific segment targeting wild stocks, where a vessel of similar size and exerting no greater fishing effort is removed from that segment. In the case of fishing vessels engaged exclusively in aquaculture activity, the Department will consider licensing such vessels in the specific segment, subject to certain conditions.

While there is no particular deadline in respect of the registration of fishing vessels generally, the owner must apply to have the vessel registered directly following the licensing of the vessel.