Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Thursday, 20 May 1993

Vol. 431 No. 2

Written Answers. - Fishing Boat Licences.

Dinny McGinley

Ceist:

62 Mr. McGinley asked the Minister for the Marine the total of applications for fishing boat licences received each year from 1990 to 1993; the number of licences issued during those years; the criteria used when deciding on applications; and if he plans to change the regulations governing the issuing of licences.

Minister for the Marine (Mr. Andrews)

The number of applications for sea-fishing licences received in each of the years 1990 to 1993 was as follows:

Year	Licence Applications received
1990	211
1991	57
1992	59
1993 (to date)	20

As regards the second part of the question, the number of licences issued in the years 1990 to 1993 was as follows:

Year	Number of Licences issued
1990	23
1991	32
1992	44
1993 (to date)	11

On the question of the criteria used when deciding on licence applications, current policy requires that, prior to a licence being issued, applicants must withdraw active capacity (in terms of both tonnage and horsepower) from the current fishing boat register at least equivalent to that of the proposed new boat. Special conditions apply to the beam trawler and pelagic fleets, where the capacity being withdrawn must be from the same sector of the fleet as the new vessel being introduced; the new vessel be safe and seaworthy; the skipper/owner is duly qualified under the relevant legislation in force; no decommissioning grant has been paid in respect of the vessel; and proof of ownership be furnished.

I must also be satisfied that the economic and social benefits arising from the exploitation of the target species of the boat involved will accrue primarily to the coastal regions and communities which the quotas are designed to benefits.

The Department is at present engaged in the process of carrying out a comprehensive review of the current licensing policy in the light,inter alia, of the recent fleet capacity targets set by the Commission. It is hoped to finalise this review within the next two months.