Vol. 551 No. 2
28 Mr. Dukes asked the Minister for the Marine and Natural Resources the basis of the recent allocation of 14,055 GT and corresponding power units to the Irish MAGP by the EU Commission; if it is linked to any specific fishing activities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10204/02]
The EU Commission on 31 January last formally adopted its decision to amend Ireland's MGP. The decision credits the Irish pelagic segment with increased capacity and effort to take account of additional fishing opportunities in Mauritanian and other West African waters. This follows the successful conclusion of negotiations with the Commission and has enabled the Atlantic Dawn to be fully licensed and registered as part of the Irish pelagic fleet. The Atlantic Dawn was officially registered on the EU fishing fleet registry last week. As part of the overall agreement the Atlantic Dawn Company has permanently withdrawn the MFV Veronica from the Irish-EU fishing fleet. This represents a significant contribution by the company to resolving the outstanding power over-capacity in the Irish pelagic segment. The Commission's agreement to facilitate the introduction of the Atlantic Dawn was subject to resolution of the over-capacity problem in the pelagic segment.
As part of the overall package, the company retains its annual quota and fishing effort entitlements in EU waters associated with the Veronica. The company will utilise the Atlantic Dawn to take up those entitlements within Ireland's pelagic fishing effort objectives for EU waters which remain unchanged. The company will continue to primarily focus its attention on developing sustainable fishing opportunities outside the EU and positioning itself as a successful player in the international seafood market.
The outcome of these prolonged and complex negotiations is a satisfactory and balanced agreement. I welcome the Commission's decision as an acknowledgement of the legitimate potential of the Irish fishing industry to develop sustainable fishing opportunities at international level. These have traditionally been the preserve of other EU and third country players. I stress that the involvement of Irish and other EU fishing vessels in the fisheries of developing countries must be based on sustainability of the fish stocks in question as well as those of the indigenous communities. I fully agree with the Commission on the need for close alignment between fisheries policy objectives and development policy aims. In that context, I welcome the fact that the EU's Fishing Agreement with the Republic of Mauritania has set up a joint scientific committee which is monitoring closely the situation of pelagic stocks.
Am I right in believing it is without precedent that the licensing and granting of a quota to one specific vessel has been the subject of so much effort by the Government in direct contact with the European Commission? Why was it felt necessary to go to these extraordinary lengths when the company that owns the vessel in question already has a vessel fishing in Irish waters with a quota attached, to which apparently the vessel in question will now be entitled, that is, it will be active in Irish waters taking up the quota that was previously available to the Veronica? In the context of there being tonnage available on the Irish market, to which I will refer later, why was it felt necessary to negotiate a special deal for this vessel?
It is not without precedent. There are several similar arrangements for other EU member states whereby they have vessels that operate in EU and international waters.
I did not ask the Minister that question. I asked if there was any precedent for the Government taking steps of this kind.
The Government has a policy of encouraging the Irish fishing industry to expand into the international fishing sector. We are currently developing a comprehensive policy along those lines. That is in order to give the Irish fishing fleet an opportunity to expand into international waters. We are one of the only major fishing countries in Europe that has not developed in that direction up to now. In our first application to the European Commission we got an increase in our capacity to allow for this vessel. Without being in a position to reduce our MAGP capacity, the Commission was not prepared to licence this vessel. It was necessary for the owner to remove his other vessel, the Veronica,in order to create sufficient MAGP capacity. In doing so, he contributed to a reduction in our MAGP capacity. There is nothing untoward or other than good in encouraging the Irish fleet to expand into the international sector. I am currently engaged in trying to encourage other Irish fishery owners to consider international fishing opportunities, particularly in the context of the reduction in quotas and the tightening situation with regard to a series of species within EU waters.
Is it not the case that there will have been no reduction in the Irish fishing efforts? Is it not the case that the transfer of the quota, previously allocated to the Veronica, to this vessel to fish in Irish waters means there is no reduction in Irish fishing effort? What controls will be put in place to ensure that only that quota is taken up by this vessel? Does the Minister not believe it would be more valuable to the Irish fishing sector to improve the access of Irish fishermen to fishing in Irish waters than to go to these extraordinary lengths just to gain access to Mauritanian waters?
There is neither an increase nor a decrease in the Irish fishing effort in the sense that the exact tonnage that applied to the Veronica will now apply to this boat. It was not ever intended that there would be a reduction. The important prerogative from our point of view is that there is no increase. There will be close monitoring of this vessel in respect of its activity in EU waters. I assure the Deputy that we will ensure that this vessel catches only its quota. That applies to other similar EU vessels which operate in this manner.
