Vol. 403 No. 9
40 Proinsias De Rossa asked the Minister for the Marine if, in view of the decision to ban herring fishing in the Celtic Sea, and the implications of the decision for jobs on trawlers and in fish processing plants, he intends to seek any increase in the EC quota; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
I dealt in detail with the subject of the Celtic Sea herring fishery in my contribution to the Adjournment Debate on 4 December 1990.
The objective of fishery management in this fishery is to set an annual catch which will enable stocks to recover to a level which will allow the maximum annual rate of exploition which would be sustainable in the longer term. The achievement of that objective would best ensure the long term interests of all fishermen and processors.
The stocks at the moments are not in a great state. The quota for this year was 15,120 tonnes. The European Commission have proposed on the basis of scientific advice that the quota for 1991 be reduced to 10,800 tonnes.
