Thomas Pringle (Donegal South West, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister for his response to the report and I have a few questions on it. I welcome the announcement of the establishment of the inshore fisheries forum for onshore fisheries. What is the timeline for it to get up and running and how does the Minister envisage it will work? If the regional forum presents policy to the national forum and the national forum adopts it, will the Department, as happens in the case of the POs, accept the policy from it and implement it or will a certain degree of management be handed over to the regional forums?

On recommendation No. 7 on the mackerel quota, which Deputy Ó Cuív has raised, I would like to hear the Minister's response to that. I would like to hear his response to recommendation No. 10 in regard to the heritage licences. The traditional fishermen were strong in calling for some action to be taken on that.

On the replacement grant for potting, one of the issues raised with the committee was that fishermen cannot afford to spend their money before they get the grant aid and before they access finance to replace pots.

On the V-notching programme, why is it still being maintained on a voluntary basis? Is there a rationale for that? Should it be a compulsory programme?

Does the Minister's Department have a view on the potential for the control of seaweed harvesting in terms of one operator getting control of a foreshore licence in regard to the harvesting or what is his view on such consolidation of seaweed harvesting?