I thank you, Sir for allowing me to raise this matter on the Adjournment. I understand I have ten minutes to outline the problem. At 6 p.m. on Monday morning of this week another Castletownbere fishing boat, MFV Dawn Rose, was rammed by a Spanish fishing vessel, El Capitan. This followed the ramming last week of another local boat, the MFV Orion by the Laurore, a sister ship of El Capitan. Both attacking vessels are Spanish owned and crewed, and fly a French flag of convenience. The attacks are the culmination of a campaign of intimidation and assault against our fishermen by Spanish vessels in recent years. If this campaign is allowed to continue it is only a matter of time before life is lost and, of course, further serious damage to our boats is inevitable. The estimated repair bill for the MFV Orion comes to approximately £30,000 and the provisional estimate, subject to survey for the MFV Dawn Rose is £20,000.
It is important to note that these were not isolated incidents. Confrontational tactics are now employed 24 hours a day by these Spanish vessels. In the past week there were a number of attempted rammings of boats, including an earlier incident also involving El Capitan. Boats are now returning to harbour, the crews of which have been subject to attacks by stones and other missiles. Recently the MFV Derisa had the windows of her wheelhouse smashed in one such attack. The objective of this campaign is quite clear: these Spaniards are conducting a campaign to drive our fishermen out of the hake fishing grounds off our south-west coast. Our timber boats measuring from 50 to 90 feet are no match for the steel hulled Spanish vessels of 120 feet plus in length.
It it time to bring these modern day pirates to order before they inflict further damage to our fleet or even worse, cause fatalities among our fishermen. I do not underestimate the problem. It was summed up well in The Cork Examiner editorial last week from which I quote:
But it would appear that Madrid has done nothing to try and control its marauding fishermen, who now seem unaccountable to any authority.
Things are now so serious that I am demanding that the Government take immediate action on a number of fronts. First, a Naval vessel should be stationed in Castletownbere. I wish to pay tribute to the efforts of the Naval Service who are under-resourced and undermanned but despite these difficult drawbacks affecting their operations, they are doing their very best. I believe there is a need to locate a Naval vessel in Castletownbere because of the problem that exists off the south-west coast. If resources are a problem, I suggest the Minister advise the European Community that our Naval vessels are patrolling Community waters and there is a responsibility on the EC to fund fishery protection. Indeed, such funding should not be confined to the capital side; there should also be funding for current expenses. That is why I have pointed out the difficulties that are evident in our Naval Service and if money is a problem I think there are grounds for a case to be made to the European Community for further funding.
Second, the Government should lodge a formal protest with the Spanish Government. In addition, a protest should be lodged with the French Government, who are allowing their flag to fly on the ships of these pirates. Last week the Minister mentioned that he had written to his corresponding Ministers in France and Spain calling their attention to the serious incident that occurred last week. Quite frankly that is not enough and I think it is necessary to have a formal Government to Government protest to highlight the seriousness of this problem.
Third, I want the Government to follow up this matter at European Community level. The Minister should call a special meeting of EC Fisheries Ministers as Ireland now holds the Presidency of the European Community and has the opportunity of calling such a meeting. I am asking the Minister tonight, in the light of the serious confrontation that has taken place and of the dangers of these confrontations that could lead to loss of life, that he should follow this course of action. Indeed, I demand a special meeting of the EC Fisheries Ministers.
Fourth, the Minister will have to make whatever changes are necessary to secure changes in the law as it appears the law is deficient. If the law is deficient, steps must be taken to put it right. I believe there are lacunae in the law, therefore the Government must move to close existing loopholes.
Fifth, we must increase the penalties for illegal fishing by foreign vessels. From the information I have it appears that most of these Spanish vessels off our coast, which can number up to 50 or 60 at a time, are fishing illegally. I am convinced that it will be necessary to take a much stronger line with them. The Minister might take a leaf out of Morocco's book. That country was also plagued by Spanish poachers but they introduced a law to confiscate their vessels on conviction, and that course of action might be necessary to bring home to these Spaniards that the kinds of activities they are involved in are not acceptable. It might also bring home to them that our Government have the conviction to put a stop to this modern day piracy, thus protecting our fishermen.
Sixth, I ask the Government to give whatever assistance is necessary so that our fishermen can pursue civil claims against these attacking vessels. I believe this problem is deadly serious. As you know, Sir, I raised this matter in a Private Notice Question last week — and there have been a number of incidents since. It is very clear that the Spaniards are not amenable to our authority, neither are they amenable to European Community authority. Life and limb are now at risk. The stakes are very high. Estimates of the profits from the illegal activities of these Spanish vessels run to hundreds of millions of pounds. It is very clear that they are prepared to take enormous risks since the stakes are so high. It is time to call a halt. The Government must act now because if they do not it will be too late and the consequences will not only be huge losses in fish, and damage to fishing vessels but loss of life. I am pleading and demanding that the Minister take action on the six points I have outlined before it is too late.
