Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 30 November 2004
246 Mr. Eamon Ryan asked the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources the procedures in place to record the direct landing of fish stocks caught on Irish registered vessels in British and Norwegian ports; and the figures for the landings of mackerel in this regard over the past five years in both these countries. [31530/04]
View answerThe rules governing landings by EU fishing vessels fishing for mackerel, horse mackerel — northern stocks — and herring — northern stocks — are set down in annex IV of Council Regulation 2287/2003. The rules apply to landings at all member states and require the following in respect of all landings greater than ten tonnes. The master of a fishing vessel must give four hours advance notice of landing including specified details of the catch to the competent authorities of the member state into which the landing is to take place. The member state designates ports for landing these species. The competent authorities of the member state shall require that the discharge does not commence until authorised to do so. The master of a fishing vessel must submit immediately upon arrival to port the relevant pages of his logbook. The fish must be weighed by the buyers, in, the presence of a controller before being sorted, processed and transported. As part of the EU-Norway fisheries agreement, similar provisions are in place in respect of landings of these pelagic species by Irish and other vessels into Norway.
Under the provisions governing the logbook, a copy of the log sheet and landing declaration must be sent to the Irish authorities within 48 hours of landing. This applies to landings into Irish, EU and Norwegian ports. The Irish authorities report on landings to the EU Commission in respect of landings into Irish ports and into non-member state ports, including those in Norway. Landings into other member state ports are reported by the member state concerned. Landings of stocks by Irish vessels into non-Irish ports are subject to any additional rules, which may apply at national level in the relevant country.
The figures for the landings of mackerel over the past five years in the countries specified are outlined in tabular form below.
|
Norway — Live Weight Tonnes |
United Kingdom — Live Weight Tonnes |
|
1999 — 22,817.60 |
1999 — 4,304.30 |
|
2000 — 19,087.10 |
2000 — 6,816.70 |
|
2001 — 17,429.40 |
2001 — 11,897.50 |
|
2002 — 15,531.90 |
2002 — 12,278.40 |
|
2003 — 8,442.17 |
2003 — 11,235.34 |
