Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister for appearing before the joint committee and giving members the exposition on sub-segmentation from his perspective. The first point everyone must accept is because a thing is as it is or because there is an historic arrangement in place does not mean that it represents best policy either now or into the future. I understand the nub of the issue here really relates to the pelagic and polyvalent sectors. The nub issue is that in the whitefish sector, there is tonnage and kilowatts available but that in the polyvalent sector, there is not. As the Minister appreciates fully, the world does not stand still and members raised an issue with him last year in respect of timber boats that required replacement with steel boats. At the time, members suggested this be done with safety tonnage but that has now been eliminated. Consequently, in the case of someone who is obliged to replace a boat with a slightly bigger boat or to replace a timber boat with a steel boat - even if the latter is not significantly bigger and of course the same quota will be allocated to it - or where modifications must be carried out to a boat on the recommendation of the marine safety office that increase its capacity, it is practically impossible to purchase polyvalent tonnage and kilowatts. Although whitefish tonnage and kilowatts are available, because of the sub-segmentation policy, a person who tries to purchase that particular tonnage and kilowatts, even if it is a very small fraction of the total tonnage and kilowatts on one's boat, in other words, one is only topping it up to comply with the requirements of the size of a boat and the engine power, effectively is locked out of the market. I understand, for example, that in some cases in which fishermen have been obliged to replace boats, they have wound up in a situation whereby if they inform the Department they intend to buy even a small amount of whitefish, they are being told they cannot fish either all or part of their polyvalent pelagic entitlements. In other words, they are put out of business. Consequently, this becomes a catch-22 situation and as the Minister is aware, many fishermen have signed the documentation sent to him outlining their concerns on this matter.

I understand that to every change, there will be people for whom it will not suit but ultimately, as Minister, Deputy Coveney must decide objectively, irrespective of what any group is saying, what is the best and fairest thing for all. I will give the example of a boat up in County Donegal. It is an 11.89 m timber vessel and its owner wishes to replace it with an 11.9 m fibreglass vessel but is short three tonnes of the requisite polyvalent pelagic tonnage, as well as being short 25 kW of the requisite associated kilowatts. He has been offered a licence but basically he is being told he can have the licence but he will be denied his polyvalent pelagic entitlements and the gill-netting entitlements, which effectively would put that fisherman out of business. The Minister is aware of the situation regarding the sinking of the Iúda Naofaoff the coast of Scotland and, thankfully, there were no casualties in that event.

Efforts had been made for a long time to replace the Iúda Naofa, a timber boat, with a steel frame boat of more or less the same external dimensions. However, the conditions applied in terms of whitefish tonnage and kilowatts were such that the fishermen in question were put out of business. I have cited only two examples.

I believe the Minister recognises that this issue presents a challenge. In 2011, modification of a polyvalent pelagic vessel and the use of whitefish tonnage was permitted in one case on safety grounds. If that was possible then, surely it would not be a major step to make this option available to all fishermen. I hope the Minister will indicate a willingness to examine the proposal put to him as a matter of urgency and on its own merits. Having listened to the case made for the proposal, I believe it has merit on the basis that polyvalent fishermen are being locked out of the market and precluded from improving their position.

I understand sub-segmentation is not taking place in most other European countries. If the Minister believes the case put to him has merit, I ask him to immediately commence a public consultation in order that we can advance this issue and ensure the producer organisations and all other individuals and groups are able to make a submission. Ultimately, the Minister's decision must be based on achieving objective good and fairness for the fishing industry, rather than any view expressed by powerful vested interests. One of the worries we must have is that a small number of dominant players - the fishing sector has a number of extremely large owners - will exercise inordinate control over the industry. The Minister is under an obligation to make his decision based on the common good.