Vol. 560 No. 1
113 Mr. Broughan asked the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources the matters discussed and conclusions reached at his meeting in Athens on 20 January 2003 with the President of the Council of Fisheries Ministers, Mr. Georgios Dris, regarding access to the Irish box; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1820/03]
The main purpose of my meeting with the Greek Fisheries Minister and current President of the Fisheries Council, Mr. Georgios Dris, was to discuss with him the Irish box and to seek his support for urgent actions at Council level to provide for its continuation. I outlined in some detail the history of the Irish box and its critical importance to the conservation of fish stocks and the livelihoods of Irish fishermen. Those fishermen are substantially dependent on fishing within the box.
I explained that Ireland is totally opposed to the Commission proposal which was presented at the December Council on western waters on the basis that it seeks to eliminate the Irish box as a separate zone. It also proposes scrapping current vessel limits on Spain within the box as well as the effort limits on other member states without imposing an equivalent restriction for the Irish box area. I pointed out that the Commission's approach, which is to introduce effort limits across very large areas of western waters, would not be effective. It would prove very difficult to control and would lead to a transfer of fishing effort into the Irish box from outside, increasing fishing pressure in this very sensitive zone. I pointed out that the Commission's proposal would give Spain's entire "Grand Sol" fleet of 230 large whitefish vessels access right up to the 12 mile zone of the Irish coast.
I set down the amendments Ireland is seeking to the Commission's proposal. These involve the establishment of the Irish box as a sensitive zone, establishment of effort limits for the box based on recent fishing effort history of each member state, including Spain, and the continuation of the effort regime for the rest of western waters as at present. I found Mr. Dris open and sympathetic to my proposals for the box. I sought and received a commitment from him to give priority during the first part of the Greek Presidency to working to achieve a compromise that recognises the ecological sensitivity of the Irish box and its importance to the Irish fishing industry. I had the Irish box included on Monday's Fisheries Council agenda. At the conclusion of the debate in Council, the Greek Presidency restated the commitments given at our bilateral meeting and called on COREPER to commence working on a draft compromise for presentation to the Council as soon as possible.
We have not had the opportunity to question the Minister since before Christmas. Will he confirm that the Commission has taken the view that the Irish Box is a bilateral issue for Ireland and Spain to resolve? Will he also confirm that he has effectively lost the legal argument? For example, he has given no indication that the matter might be referred to the European Court.
The Spanish armada of vessels has been lying quietly off the coast of northern Spain while problems relating to the recent oil spillage there have been addressed. However, it is now slowly moving towards Ireland's key interests in the 50 mile box. Recently, the first of these vessels was arrested. Will the Minister concede that he has lost the battle and shown the white flag to Spain?
I do not accept that. The Irish Box requires more attention than the issuance of a few press statements or discussions with a few journalists. The Deputy referred to a Spanish boat detained over allegations of fishing offences. It was not inside but outside the Irish Box. Despite the portends of doom and gloom since 1 January, the number of Spanish vessels within the box has not even reached double figures on any day. While there are Spanish vessels outside the box, their presence this year is less than usual.
This issue was not formally placed on the agenda of the Council meeting last December and it was never going to be decided then, despite efforts to suggest otherwise. It was originally contained in the Commission's proposal for resolution throughout this year, with a view to taking action in 2004, not only with regard to the Irish Box but also the Shetland and plaice boxes, also within European Union waters. Last October the Spanish requested a legal opinion which was subsequently tabled although there would not have been enough time to address it. We strongly objected to the opinion.
Some may wish this to be a bilateral issue, but this Government and others do not take that view. For example, at Monday's meeting, the Portuguese publicly and strongly supported the Irish position, as did the United Kingdom. The Commission's proposals will affect issues beyond the Irish Box which will impact on other countries. In view of this we have a number of allies. The issue may ultimately go to court, but I would like to think we will reach a compromise. In this regard, the Greek President of the Council was very accommodating.
