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

The proposal without a quota uplift would have reduced the prawn catch by almost 20%. As a result of the quota uplift, the reduction will be less than 10%. Having said that, this does not take into account many of the other issues. We are being forced to reach maximum sustainable yield for prawns next year. Considering that prawns are the most important species for the Irish fishing industry bar none, including mackerel, if ever there was a case for socioeconomic management of a stock to reach a common destination by 2020, it should apply to prawns. Prawns are worth more than €100 million to the Irish fishing industry and most of our whitefish demersal boats rely on them. This gives a sense of where we would be on prawns without quota uplift and where we are as a result of having quota uplift.

I have a considerable degree of faith in the science behind this, having become fairly familiar with the work of the Marine Institute over the past five years. I am also aware of the institute's role in the International Council for the Exploration of the Seas, ICES, at a very senior level. I have great faith in what it says. That is the basis for my arguments each year and that approach has worked reasonably well in recent years. Consecutive cuts have not been introduced year after year.

There have been some big increases too. The value of our overall quota in the past five years has increased, not decreased. Different stocks have ups and downs and different sectors have ups and downs in terms of fishing zones, among other issues. We will try to get the best outcome we can, working with the Marine Institute. We have lost one key ally in someone who has gone to work for the Commission, but we still have a very strong team in the Marine Institute, and that will be very helpful. Mr. Paul Savage is present today.

I am coming to BIM now. In terms of the socioeconomic impact of the implementation of what is being proposed by the Commission, it would be a devastating blow in reality to be losing 200 to 300 people in the fishing industry and to have a significant reduction in numbers for some very important stocks. The work BIM has done is very sobering and it will act as a motivator for me to make sure I get the best deal I can, as it has done in recent years also.

Most of the questions have been answered. I assure the committee that we are not toeing anyone else's line, with regard to the comments that were made about Germany earlier. When it comes to fishing we are very much doing our own thing and trying to get the best possible deal we can from an Irish perspective.

I thank those members who offered them for their good wishes for next week. In many ways next week is like the budget for fishermen. They will watch what the outcome is, as it will impact directly on their income levels and fishing opportunities for next year. It is a hugely important time for the fishing industry. In all the big ports, fishermen will be watching what comes out of Brussels next week. I am under no illusions. There is a lot of responsibility to try to get the best deal we can and to make sure we look after stocks in a responsible way as well. I will meet the industry representatives again on Sunday night in Brussels before the negotiations start and I will stand over whatever deal we get by the middle of next week.