andMr. White asked the Minister for Fisheries and Forestry if transport grants are available from State or EEC funds for transportation of surplus fish from ports to areas where cold storage facilities are available, to avoid dumping and if not, if he will provide such grants.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Fish Transportation Grants.
3.
Grants of this kind are not available from State or EEC sources and I do not propose to make them available. I am advised that moving fish to areas where there are cold storage facilities would not solve the problem of disposing of fish which is surplus to market requirements. In any event, fish which is withdrawn from sale under EEC market support arrangements may not be sold subsequently for human consumption.
Does the Minister agree that more processing facilities are needed, that dumping is not the answer? We should not be dumping fish but processing it.
I agree that dumping fish is not desirable but I am sure the Deputy appreciates that if you were to instal adequate processing facilities you would need to be sure of a regular supply of fish. Dumping occurs only on rare occasions when there are big catches.
Surely this crazy regulation should be scrapped. Will the Minister agree that it is not necessary to dump fish in order to qualify for the intervention money? Prime fish of first-class quality is being dumped around the coast. Is it not true that charitable organisations in towns and villages would take the fish if offered it without payment?
I am sure the Deputy will appreciate that the fish first of all is offered for sale in the public market. If it is of such prime quality as the Deputy told us about is it not a wonder it is not bought? This system was introduced to ensure that fishermen would get adequate prices for their fish. When fish does not reach such prices it is withdrawn under EEC regulations and it is left to the fish producers' organisation to dispose of it.
Will the Minister accept that I was informed it is not necessary to dump fish in order to qualify for the intervention money? The stipulation is that it must not be sold for money but there is no question of having to dump it provided it is made available to certain classes.
Why may not fish which is sold into intervention be sold afterwards for human consumption?
The EEC in their wisdom decided that fish offered for sale and not disposed of in the public market may not otherwise be sold afterwards because this would interfere with the original reasons for the introduction of the intervention system. There are four different options open for the disposal of fish: it can be processed into meal, it can be used as an animal feed, it can be used for purposes other than feed, including dumping, or it can be distributed free of charge to charitable organisations. It is not always easy for the fish producers' organisations to do that, but it is an option that is open to them.
It is a crying shame to dump prime fish which is being sold in the Dublin market for up to 80p a pound.