The issues raised by the Deputy relate to a recent report entitled "A preliminary investigation on Shelf Edge and Deepwater Fixed Net Fisheries to the West and North of Great Britain, Ireland, around Rockall and Hatton Bank". This report was compiled by representatives of eight fisheries agencies, including Ireland's Marine Institute and Bord Iascaigh Mhara as well as representatives from the UK and Norway. The report states that this is a gillnet fishery of up to 50 vessels with a high incidence of "ghost fishing" by unattended or discarded nets on the seabed.
This important report is under consideration by my Department. The occurrence of so-called "ghost-fishing" is in my view a cause for concern and requires remedial attention. During its EU Presidency, Ireland made it a priority to press for more environmentally-friendly fishing methods and I am pleased to say that Ireland succeeded in achieving the adoption of Council conclusions on this important subject. These conclusions were agreed in June 2004 and include provision for the European Commission to develop a pilot project to address the problem of ghost fishing in Community waters, including a retrieval system to remove lost gear. I anticipate progress on this issue during 2005. Catch limitations for deepwater sharks, the main species targeted by the fishery concerned in the report, were introduced at EU level for the first time for 2005 at the December 2004 Agriculture and Fisheries Council. This decision will contribute to an immediate reduction in mortality.
As many of the deepwater fisheries concerned straddle international waters where non-EU vessels are also fishing, the need for a wider international approach to this problem is an important consideration and in that regard I believe that it is important the North East Atlantic Fisheries Commission, NEAFC, is fully involved and will hopefully act as a catalyst for remedial management measures in that wider context.