Noel Harrington (Cork South West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Minister's comments and his approach to the report that was published. I particularly welcome the establishment of the inland fisheries forum. Even though groups from throughout the country appeared before the committee and they had individual issues on a regional basis, three quarters of the issues they raised were the same issues. The only difference is that they were expressed with different accents. They discussed many of the same types of issues but they were very fragmented. I hope the establishment of the forum will address in some part the representation which covers 80% of the vessels in the fleet. A huge handicap for that segment of the industry and for decision makers is that there has been one voice representing it or one policy in respect of it.

The Minister might elaborate on the recommendation on the heritage licences. Those in the inshore fleet who have licences for non-quota species do not have a protection against other fishermen who might come from different segments. They are exposed in areas that are under significant pressure. Is there any way to protect them, whether through a track record or a heritage licence as mentioned in the report? There are vulnerable individuals in that sector.

I welcome the V-notching programme. The report on the V-notching of lobster has been very much welcomed by the industry. I have not met anybody who has criticised the 75% funding for V-notching. It will be very progressive and I hope it will be taken up enthusiastically by the industry. On the hatcheries, and the Minister mentioned lobster, are there any proposals that he might consider for seeding for scallops in some of the bays? That is something that might be worth considering.

Another issue, touched on in the report in terms of training which the Minister might examine, is BIM's budget for staffing in the fisheries training centres. While there is a growing interest in training and growing numbers in the training centres, that needs to be matched with greater resources for instructors and mariners to assist in getting higher level tickets to the industry in terms of navigation or safety in particular. I understand that the greatest potential for loss of life is among those in the inshore fleet. A greater investment in the regional fisheries training centres through BIM would be welcome.

The Minister mentioned that this part of the industry was unregulated. I believe it is very much regulated but that it is under-represented. Even though most of it is in a non-quota segment, it did not have the same representation or the same voice as the POs. The Minister might have an opinion on the structure of the POs. When we have freedom of association it is difficult to change the structure of the POs. We have a pelagic PO or a demersal PO but there is certainly an inshore PO. Would the Minister see the IFF ultimately developing into a structure more akin to a PO structure?