Pat Gallagher (Donegal, Fianna Fail)

When we consider that people are going out and catching them by line, the impact that has on the stocks is 0.00001%. That is something we should take a particular interest in and we can make a case to the Minister and to the Commission to allow for that. It has no impact at all on those stocks. There is no more environmentally-friendly fishing.

In the past few years, the drop in crab fishing has been frightening. I know some people were prepared to make an investment in it a few years ago but, all of a sudden, the quantities have reduced. Is that how IIMRO finds it on the west coast? Do we know the reason that might be happening?