I raise this issue not only because I am chairperson of the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Arts, Sport, Tourism, Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs but also as someone who has a keen interest in marine issues. I refer to the need for support for sea angling vessels by the Departments of Communications, Marine and Natural Resource and Arts, Sport and Tourism through the improvement of facilities and the provision of new boats.
Our marine resource is underdeveloped and undervalued and, while the Government has invested significantly in renewing the fishing fleet, the opportunity that exists in the marine leisure sector is underexploited in most parts of the State. The potential is available to accommodate cruise liners and ferries. We do not have a water use plan and the aquaculture, marine leisure and fishing sectors co-exist but I wish to focus on sea angling.
Sea angling has been at the centre of major festivals in many locations along the coast near where I live. It was a tourist attraction as well as providing an opportunity for those involved in the sport of sea angling. It brought people into an area even though they were not sea angling enthusiasts. This year, it has almost disappeared – it has gone completely in some areas. It should not be let go and if it has gone in some areas, it should be brought back. The current problem relates to the acquisition of boats. I am aware of safety issues nationally and, of course, any drowning is one too many. However, we may be in danger of throwing the baby out with the bath water by excluding people who were traditionally involved over many years and had an exemplary record in sea angling. They now find themselves in a situation where they have not been given a passenger licence and, therefore, cannot operate this year. If they go, a very important marine tradition will die with them.
Accordingly, I am raising two issues tonight, the first of which is the easier one. In my area, people can acquire boats for sea angling from places in the North of Ireland, such as Portrush and Portstewart. Their difficulty is not with licensing which, I am informed, is far more strenuous under the UK regulations whereby they have to be licensed for up to 60 miles off-shore. Sea angling generally takes place much closer to shore, within about three miles, yet these people are having their licences questioned by the Department of Communications, Marine and Natural Resources. If a licence is issued by the UK authorities, or any other authority operating to an accepted standard, the Department should not impose additional inspections.
In the short-term, I am requesting that the issue of the Department's specifications be addressed. Under the Good Friday Agreement, we are supposed to be working in co-operation towards integration of the two systems. The activity is seasonal, not all year round, and it is not sufficiently profitable for people to go into it on a full-time basis. Some commercial boats are adaptable and there should be some support to enable them to be upgraded so that they can obtain passenger licences and retain their traditional activity. The value and attraction of this sport should be recognised on a wider scale. Appropriate support should be introduced to upgrade existing boats and to purchase better boats, as was done with the white fishing fleet.
While I am disappointed that the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources is not present tonight, I know the Minister of State, Deputy O'Malley, who is standing in for him, will convey my message. We have a greatly under-developed marine sector, with a vast potential for tourism, both in economic terms and from the visible excitement of the activity created in our coastal towns and villages. I urge that we take the bull by the horns in this regard. We should look to the amalgamation of the two systems on either side of the Border, recognising the validity of the boats operating under UK regulations. Supports should be provided to enable people to upgrade good, traditional boats to the safety standards required under the new legislation.
I am also concerned that access for boats to the Foyle may be seriously affected by the development of a wind farm in that area. I intend to draw the Minister's attention to a letter which was recently discovered from the consortium which was sent out to look at the situation objectively but is now actively canvassing support for the project in a manner which, in my view, is less than objective. I will raise that matter separately with the Minister.
