asked the Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries if he supports the call for a 200-mile exclusive fishing limit to protect Irish sea-fish stocks; and if he will make a statement on the serious drop in herring catches at all major Irish ports this season.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Fishing Limit.
27.
I assume that what the Deputy has in mind is the concept which is being considered at the Law of the Sea Conference of a 200-mile exclusive economic zone in which the coastal State would have control over the management of fisheries. The Government supports this concept.
As to the second part of the question, final figures of herring catches this season are not yet available but present indications are that the figures will be down on last season at most of our major ports. Our total catches of herring have tended to decline in recent seasons mainly because of increased fishing effort and poor spawning in the past.
The herring fisheries off our southeast and north-west coasts are subject to catch quotas which are operated by the North-East Atlantic Fisheries Commission as a conservancy measure.
Will there be a case made at the Law of the Sea Conference for a 50 mile exclusive limit for Irish fishing vessels?
This question will not arise at the Law of the Sea Conference. The Law of the Sea Conference will not be dealing directly with the question of getting our fishing limits extended to 50 miles. Our first obligation will be to discuss that matter with our EEC partners. We are in the EEC now, as Deputy Fahey is, I am sure, aware and we will discuss the matter with our partners there first and see what will happen. The Government, as I indicated in my reply, are permitted to extend our exclusive limits and the Deputy must be aware of the recent announcement made by the appropriate EEC Commissioner. This question is being actively determined by the Department of Foreign Affairs, who are the appropriate Department to deal with the matter, and both my Department and the Department of Foreign Affairs are in close contact on questions arising so far as fisheries are concerned and the Law of the Sea Conference at that conference and also on the exclusive fishery limit.
Surely the Parliamentary Secretary is aware of the anxiety of fishermen with regard to over-fishing stocks. The herring fishing stock is down considerably this year. In one of the richest grounds in the world, Dunmore East, the catch was down by 70 per cent——
A question, please, Deputy.
——and it is quite obvious from the Parliamentary Secretary's reply——
The Deputy is embarking on a speech.
I am asking the Parliamentary Secretary has he any plan for an extension of our exclusive fishery limits and I am referring to that in the context of Irish ports because I am sure now is the time to make a case to have our fishery limits extended.
Again the Deputy is embarking on a speech.
I do not mean to the extent of the EEC as such. I am referring to Irish ports.
That question has been answered on a number of occasions on behalf of the Government, particularly by Deputy John Kelly, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Foreign Affairs, and I myself referred to it on a number of occasions. I think everyone is well aware of the Government's view so far as our exclusive fishery limits are concerned. We have made our position quite clear. We are endeavouring through negotiation to get our limits extended. We have made it quite clear that we will not take unilateral action. I do not know whether Deputy Lynch's and Deputy Fahey's party would, if they were in power, adopt a go-it-alone approach but that is not the proposal of this Government.
I take it from what the Parliamentary Secretary says that the Government have views on the matter but they have no plans with regard to the extension of the limits.
The Government have plans and the discussion on this matter is a very serious one. There are more plans now in the Fisheries Branch than there were at any other time. I did not see any plans there from Deputy Fahey's time.
Can the Parliamentary Secretary tell the House what exactly the Government are pressing for in relation to our exclusive limits, 20 miles, 50 miles or what exactly?
They are pressing for a substantial increase in our fishery limits.
In view of the unsatisfactory nature of the Parliamentary Secretary's reply I wish to give notice that I intend to raise this matter on the Adjournment.
The Chair will communicate with the Deputy.