Dinny McGinley
Ceist:68 Mr. McGinley asked the Minister for the Marine if he intends to implement the recommendations of the Nautilis report on the Irish fishing industry.
Written Answers. - Nautilus Report.
The report to which the Deputy refers was undertaken on behalf of the European Commission by a group of independent consultants in the context of the review of the Common Fisheries Policy. This report was one of a series undertaken throughout the Community which sought to establish the socio-economic parameters of the fishing industry, dependency of coastal communities on fishing, and the degree to which any labour displaced by restructuring of the industry could be reabsorbed into the local economy.
Although this was a Commission report, whose recommendations were made to the Commission, rather than to Ireland, the conclusions reached in it confirmed the various analyses made by the Department and the industry over the last few years and proved a useful lever in the final stages of the negotiations on the CFP and the fleet. The Deputy will recall that, following these negotiations, Ireland won the right to expand its fleet capacity against a background where the fleet of all other member states are to be reduced.
Moreover, the conclusions will prove of continuing relevance, in the context of the preparation of the sectoral plan for fisheries for the period 1994-99 and, in particular in the context of the consideration of the issues outstanding from the review of the Common Fisheries Policyviz. the Irish case for increased quota allocations and the demand for a Community contribution towards the operational costs of control.