Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees

Thursday, 28 March 2013

Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Joint Sub-Committee on Fisheries

Aquaculture and Tourism: Discussion (Resumed)

10:30 am

Photo of Michael McNamaraMichael McNamara (Clare, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I, too, come from a coastal community, although it is less recognised, for whatever reason. Clare does have a coastline and there are small fishing communities, which, like all small fishing communities, have suffered a great deal, particularly in places such as Quilty.

I have some specific questions. Sustainability has become an increasingly important keyword in the food industry. More broadly, Irish agriculture has recognised that, with the possible exception of milk, we will not be able to compete for a mass market and that we are better off competing for the upper end of the market. The environmentally friendly nature of Irish agriculture is emphasised in marketing by An Bord Bia, and there is a movement towards getting Irish agriculture into high-end restaurants across the world and the entire high-end market. Is there scope for the marketing of Irish fisheries, particularly the inland fisheries in which the witnesses and their communities fish, and for emphasising their sustainability? We are talking about small producers in relatively small areas.

It is not a rhetorical question as I do not know the answer to it.

Some of the delegates referred to scallops. There is increasing emphasis on the question of whether scallops may be harvested by diving or dredging. Are those who mentioned scallops talking about diving or dredging? Generally, what proportion is harvested by each method? With regard to oysters, are we talking about farmed oysters or oysters harvested from wild reefs? What is the condition of Irish oyster reefs?

Within the SACs, the zonings have created considerable difficulties. Do they offer potential for the marketing of seafood caught or produced therein as sustainable? There is an increasingly vociferous and influential campaign in this regard, particularly in Britain. London, as with Paris, is a big city and has a relatively close market that is certainly being targeted heavily by Bord Bia. I do not understand why Irish fishermen, particularly small-scale fishermen, could not seek to target the very high-end markets in such cities, which are reachable within a few hours.

Did Mr. Walsh mention specific difficulties being encountered by those on Inis Oírr?

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