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Fisheries Protection.

Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 26 January 2005

Wednesday, 26 January 2005

Questions (335)

John Perry

Question:

399 Mr. Perry asked the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources the reason Clochmór Achill is not on the list of designated pelagic landing ports. [34183/04]

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Written answers

The EU introduced new arrangements for the control of certain pelagic fisheries — horse mackerel, mackerel and north west herring fisheries — in December 2003 which came into effect during 2004. The rules are set down in annex IV of Council Regulation 2287/2003 and were revised for 2005 in annex III, part C of Council Regulation 27/2005. These arrangements include the weighing in the presence of a controller of all quantities in excess of 10 tonnes landed of each of these species.

During the course of 2004, extensive consultations took place with industry representatives regarding the implementation of the annex. The five designated ports, Killybegs, Rathmullen, Dingle, Rossaveal and Castletownbere, were chosen on the basis of landing patterns for the species concerned and the resources available to comply with the requirements of the annex.

Although I would seek to give the maximum scope for landings into ports, it should be noted that the scope of the 2005 Council regulation in comparison with the 2004 regulation is wider. The EU regulation now provides that pelagic landings will have to be monitored at ports on the southern and eastern coasts in line with the EU rules for weighing all landings. In this context, the provision of the resources needed to meet our obligations under this regulation will be even more challenging.

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