Mr. Greg Casey:

With over 30 year's experience, I can tell the committee that in circumstances where the argument was ever raised - for example, as a defence where prosecutions were ever threatened - the general attitude of the State has been to back down, without ever wishing to formally have the situation recognised on the record. With no disrespect intended to anybody involved in fishing organisations or otherwise, I believe the situation whereby these fish resources are not EU fish resources has never been raised as a specific issue with the EU by the Government or by fishing organisations. Every kilo of fish caught inside the baseline comes off Ireland's quotas. If Ireland was to look seriously at the amount of fish taken from inside the baseline along Ireland's south-west and north-west coast over 30 years, Ireland would be entitled to an enormous rebate. That is hardly likely to happen, but I understand there is a basis for seeking and obtaining a rebate in respect of an over-declaration of fish landing, which is what Ireland has done. My best guess, in particular in what we would call the whitefish segment of the Irish fishing fleet where the most pressure is currently, from my own knowledge and from speaking with fishermen, is that approximately 25% of fish in the whitefish sector along the south and south-west coast is caught inside the baseline.