Mary Harney
Ceist:31 Miss Harney asked the Minister for the Marine the steps, if any, he intends to take to ensure that enforcement of fishery regulations in Spain is as rigorous as is the case in Ireland. [2140/96]
Written Answers. - Spanish Fishing Practices.
Michael McDowell
Ceist:35 Mr. M. McDowell asked the Minister for the Marine the steps, if any, he has taken to ensure the accuracy or otherwise of the contents of the recent series of articles in the News of the World regarding the landing of undersized fish in Spain and the apparent lack of enforcement at the Spanish ports. [2134/96]
Ivor Callely
Ceist:81 Mr. Callely asked the Minister for the Marine if his attention has been drawn to the undersized fish from Irish waters on sale in Spanish fish markets; his views on this situation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2202/96]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 31, 35 and 81 together.
I fully share the concerns of Deputies that for EU fisheries controls to be fully enforced and effective, the total commitment of all member states and fishing industries is absolutely essential. In line with the fundamental EU principles of sovereignty and subsidiarity, national authorities have the responsibility to police their respective waters and amounts being fished, the subsequent landings of fish into their ports and the application of appropriate penalties where breaches of the law occur.
We have been at the forefront in Europe in pressing for tighter controls for better enforcement and for the resources with which to carry out the job of monitoring and enforcing the Common Fisheries Policy throughout EU waters.
For our part, as I have outlined on many occasions before, Ireland has strict controls in place to ensure that both the Irish fleet and foreign fishing vessels operating in Irish waters comply fully with the EU fishing regulations. The fisheries protection services detain all vessels suspected of being in breach of fishing regulations and prosecutions follow in every appropriate case.
The penalties under Irish law for fishery infringements in our waters are among the toughest in Europe, and reflect our determination to safeguard fish stocks and eliminate illegal fishing activity in our waters. I make no apology for expecting no less a demonstrable commitment from other member states in monitoring and enforcing EU law in all respects.
The Commission has explicity endorsed the need for strong control measures by all member states as vital to the CFP's credibility and efficiency. The Commision's own inspectorate service has been augmented in recent years and has the task of inspecting the national inspection services as opposed to fishing industries.
I will be continuing to press for much closer scrutiny of the fishing activities of all EU fishing vessels backed up by greater use of new technology, notably satellites, which will substantially help to tighten controls and close loopholes. And, while accepting that the Commission inspectorate is independent of member states, we have frequently raised with the Commission the need for its inspectors to undertake targeted investigations in key geographical areas of concern. My officials are also discussing with Spanish ministry officials the scope for enhanced high level and technical liaison including a programme of regular inspection visits to each others ports and information exchange. I have taken up this issue with my Spanish colleague both in bilateral discussions and exchange of letters. I am hopeful that those initiatives will pay dividends in the short-term.
Much of what appeared recently in theNews of the World was hyped up and highly inaccurate particularly on specific events and operations in Irish ports and Irish waters. The detailed briefing held in Haulbowline last Monday was designed to set the record straight and I hope laid to rest many of the misconceptions doing the rounds. Where there are substantiated genuine concerns and claims expressed about illegal fishing activity it is my priority to have them followed up and addressed. Allegations about landings of undersized fish are a case in point.
I caution that suspicions about landings of undersized fish from Irish waters into ports in Spain or other member states are difficult to substantiate or prove. Such landings can be and are often claimed to be, from the Bay of Biscay or the Mediterranean where there are as yet no rules about minimum fish landing sizes. But Deputies can rest assured that I and the Department will continue to vigorously follow up specific concerns.