Vol. 395 No. 3
18 Mr. Spring asked the Minister for Defence the number of arrests made by the Irish Naval Service of vessels breaching fisheries regulations for each of the last five years; if he is satisfied that the trend disclosed is an accurate reflection of the effectiveness of fishery protection methods; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
The number of arrests made by the Irish Naval Service of vessels breaching fisheries regulations for the past five years is as follows: 1985, 67; 1986, 51; 1987, 70; 1988, 89; 1989, 57.
During the year 1988, Naval Service vessels steamed a total of 100,611 nautical miles and spent 933 days on patrol. The corresponding figures for 1989 are 108,345 nautical miles and 1,034 days respectively. In other words, patrolling increased by about 11 per cent.
The disparity in the number of arrests in 1989, as compared with 1988, was not as a result of a reduction in days spent on patrol but more so of an awareness by foreign fishing vessels of the Naval Service's presence in the Irish Economic Exclusion Zone.
I challenge the Minister, then, to offer us any indication as to what information is available to indicate a decrease in the numbers of trawlers operating illegally within our waters within the same period?
There has been a decrease as a result of the deterrent caused by the active presence of our naval vessels. The big problem in recent years has been to build up an awareness of this presence. Traditionally Spanish fishermen have fished heavily in this area and since they became full members of the EC their fishing has been cut drastically by quota arrangements. It has taken a few years to get Spanish fishermen and the Spanish authorities to recognise that these fishing grounds are no longer open to them and that they are regulated by Community quota. For all the reasons outlined, there is greater observance of the limits and there is greater adherence to the quota system.
Is the Minister in a position to say that there has been a decrease in the number of foreign vessels in Irish fishing waters or to say that, apart from arrests, a great number of foreign vessels took flight at the sight of Irish vessels, or to say simply that practically no foreign vessels entered Irish fishing waters? Which is it?
Since Spain became a full member of the Community — and they accounted for the overwhelming number of foreign fishing vessels in our waters — and because of the increased enforcement by the Irish Navy and the British protection service where it obtains, there has been a substantial reduction in the Spanish fishing effort. When the Deputy is talking about foreign vessels he is mainly talking about his friends, the Spaniards. I know the Deputy is a great romantic follower of the Latin ethos but when we are talking in this context we are talking about the Spanish fishing effort in waters adjacent to our coast.
I am delighted with the Minister's remark, and I am glad to know that the world's eyes that are on the Irish Presidency, for example, include the Spanish speaking people. I am sure that they are in a frenzy since we assumed Presidency of the Community. I will put my question to the Minister again. Is he in a position to communicate to those Deputies concerned, particularly to those interested in the Irish fishing industry, if there is statistical evidence available to support his statement to the House?
There is, but it is not easy statistical evidence to get because we are talking about landings that take place primarily in Spain from Spanish vessels moving from our waters. On the advice I have and on observation, there has been a substantial curtailment of the Spanish fishing effort. They are now circumscribed by quota arrangements and a European Community regime and they are further curtailed by the presence of our ships and those of the UK. If one goes through the figures, it is obvious that most of the boats arrested have been Spanish. All this adds to a deterrent aspect and, with a greater effort on the part of the Irish protection service, it is clear that the deterrent is beginning to bite with the result that the Spanish are now observing the fishery regime of the Community. They are now responding to the strong presence of Irish protection vessels in the area which show no compunction about arresting Spanish vessels if they are caught fishing illegally in the area.
Will the Minister say if we have sufficient personnel in the Navy to enable all the vessels to put to sea at the same time for fishery protection or other duties?
As we are currently taking on more personnel for the Navy we will have total involvement in a month or so.
At present can all our vessels put to sea at the same time?
They will all be at sea within a matter of a month or so. The full Naval Service will then be operational.
And out of dry dock.
