Vol. 406 No. 8
18 Mr. Sheehan asked the Minister for the Marine the steps he intends to take, both nationally and at EC level to eliminate the extreme pressure placed on spawning hake stocks during July and August on the coral grounds off the south-west coast; and if intends to take immediate action to seek a closed season ban on all hake fishing for that period.
There is intense competition annually in the hake fishery on the coral grounds off the south-west coast between trawlers, longliners and gillnetters from a number of countries including Ireland, France, Spain and the UK.
The question of imposing an EC wide ban on fishing in this area during spawning periods in the interests of conserving stocks is to be actively pursued by my Department's scientists at forthcoming scheduled scientific expert group meetings under the auspices of ICES over the next few months. I am hopeful that arising from these meetings positive recommendations on closed seasons for the hake fishery will emerge. My Department are also raising this issue directly with the Commission. I should point out to the Deputy that I am precluded from taking national measures which would affect the fishermen of other member states and that effective action on this issue may only be taken at Community level and on the basis of expert scientific advice.
