I propose to take Question Nos. 178 to 180, inclusive, together.
The particular licence applicant referred to by the Deputy wrote to me on 31 January 2005 seeking a polyvalent sea-fishing boat licence for the vessel in question, without the provision of 100% replacement capacity, on a short-term basis. I wrote to him on 9 February informing him that responsibility for the licensing of sea-fishing boats had transferred to the licensing authority for sea-fishing boats established under the Fisheries (Amendment) Act 2003 and that I had passed his letter to the head of the licensing authority, a senior official in the Department, for direct reply to him. The licensing authority operates on an independent basis subject to certain criteria and implements licensing policy in accordance with ministerial policy directives.
I understand that the licensing authority, which had previously met and written to the individual concerned about this matter, replied to him on 10 February and again explained that sea-fishing boat licensing policy does not permit the licensing authority to license the vessel without full replacement capacity being provided in advance. It pointed out that ministerial policy directive 2/2003, issued to the licensing authority on 17 November 2003, makes it clear that the 1:1 replacement capacity requirement applies other than in limited specified cases. I understand that the licensing authority recently agreed to extend, by three months, the period of validity of the licence offer issued to the individual concerned to give him more time to comply with licensing requirements.
On the question of "short-term" licences, no statutory period is specified in respect of which sea-fishing licences may be granted. Subject to any overriding licensing policy considerations, this is an operational matter for the licensing authority which can issue licences having validity for any period of time in the interests of efficient management of licensing and taking into account any other relevant issues such as safety requirements.
The licensing authority had, up to 17 February, issued six new sea-fishing boat licences for the polyvalent fleet segment since the beginning of this year. Full replacement capacity was provided in all cases prior to licensing, as required under general licensing policy. The licensing authority has, since 1 January 2005, issued six renewal licences in respect of vessels in the pelagic fleet segment. The six vessels concerned have been licensed in accordance with section H of policy directive 2/2003, as amended, which specifically sets out the manner in which replacement capacity must be provided by vessel owners in the pelagic segment in respect of works previously claimed as "safety tonnage".