Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 15 December 2004
151 Mr. Ring asked the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources if a location (details supplied) in County Mayo will be retained on the list of designated pelagic landing ports on the new licences to be issued in December 2004; if not, the reason therefor. [33677/04]
View answerThe EU introduced new arrangements for the control of certain pelagic fisheries namely, horse mackerel, mackerel and north west herring fisheries, in December 2003. The rules came into effect during 2004 and are set down in Annex IV of Council Regulation 2287/03. These arrangements include the weighing in the presence of a controller of all quantities in excess of ten tonnes landed of each of these species. The annex is implemented in Irish law by means of statutory instrument.
During the course of this year, extensive consultations took place with industry representatives with regard to the implementation of the annex. The statutory instrument currently in place, S.I. No. 530 of 2004, provides for landings at five designated ports: Killybegs, Rathmullen, Dingle, Rossaveal and Castletownbere. The ports were chosen on the basis of landing patterns for the species concerned and the resources available to comply with the requirements of the annex. These ports are specified in the statutory instrument and in future designation will be made in this manner rather than in the fishing licences for pelagic species. Regarding the location mentioned, it is my intention to look again at the ports designated in 2005 following the outcome of the December Fisheries Council and the determinations which will be reached at it.
