asked the Minister for Fisheries and Forestry the total length of commercial fishing nets seized by the North Western and Western Regional Fisheries Boards in 1983; and if he will furnish a detailed list of forfeiture orders obtained in respect of these nets together with the dates of the relevant court hearings.
Ceisteanna-Questions. Oral Answers. - Net Seizures.
16.
The total lengths of nets seized by the North Western and Western Regional Fisheries Boards in 1983 were about 20 miles and five miles respectively.
The obtaining of forfeiture orders is a matter for the regional fisheries board and details of such orders obtained by the regional boards concerned in 1983 are not available in my Department.
Would the Minister accept that there appears to be two standards applying here, that if nets are confiscated from foreigners they are in a position to retrieve them almost immediately because they are put up for auction on the pier immediately the nets are taken? Furthermore, does it not seem unfair to fishermen that they never seem to know when these nets are being offered for auction and that they never have a chance to repurchase them if they want to do so?
That is another question, too, I think.