Jennifer Whitmore (Wicklow, Social Democrats)

I am indeed. I thank the witnesses for their contributions. This system is relatively new to me and, I imagine, to some other members of the committee also. I am trying to get my head around how it operates. When I look through the penalty system and the list of infringements, from a fisheries management perspective I can understand why each of the infringements is listed. They range from not filling out catch-related data to using incorrect gear to fishing in areas where people are not allowed to do so. To me it seems necessary to monitor and enforce the infringements because historically we have had problems with overfishing. The one thing we tend to focus on is the difficulties, and I understand there are many of them, for fishermen at present. The reality is that if we do not get our stocks back to sustainable levels these difficulties will continue. If the real issue is that Europe does not apply the same standard of infringements, should we be seeking for them to be across the board? It should not be that we reduce ours to European standards but that other countries in Europe should be applying as stringent standards as we do. If they are necessary from a fisheries protection and stock management perspective, then there will have to be a way of dealing with the infringements.

I understand the discussion on the catch having to be removed from ice to measure it in the factory, and that this could impact on the quality of the catch. Is there a need for more on-board management and monitoring that would apply equally to the boats so the impact does not happen at the fish processing level? Is this something that is possible? I am not sure who is best to answer the questions. Perhaps it is Mr. Rihan on the processing perspective and Mr. Lynch on the infringements.