Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

All we can do in terms of science is to get better every year. Fishermen need to opt into this by taking observers on board and showing them the proof of why they do not believe the science. We also need to try to maintain and increase resources for the Marine Institute and others who are doing that research. An Irish person from the Marine Institute is the current head of ISIS.

The relationship between scientists and fishermen is better now than it has ever been. We got a pretty good deal last year and the year before in difficult circumstances for many stocks. That was on the back of having the Marine Institute with us to make the case to the European Commission on why the cuts should not be as drastic as they could have been and the increases should be greater. Fishermen now realise the value of having scientists on board, but we can improve the relationship all the time. There is no question about that.

I have heard the accusation from our industry that there are large Dutch pelagic vessels off the west coast, essentially grading a lot of fish and pumping them back into the water through underwater systems which are not visible. I will inquire into that, but obviously we must impose the rules. I do not want to target one nation as breaking the rules more than anybody else. Boat by boat, however, we need to ensure that people are not grading and mulching fish and pumping them back into the water as discards. That is not acceptable and it has to stop. If the Deputy has any evidence on that I will certainly follow it up.

On the question of ITQs, ITCs, TFCs or whatever one wants to call them, it will not happen while I am Minister and we will put in place a plan for the implementation of the next CFP that rules out that option as best we can. I cannot, however, make a decision for any future Minister. That option is there for them. The Commission would like us to use that option because it sees it as a way of reducing the fleet, but I do not like that because it means fewer and bigger boats, and fishing communities would collapse. We would end up with one or two big fishing ports in Ireland and nothing else. That will not happen on my watch, and the members of this committee would not let it happen.