Brian Ó Domhnaill (Fianna Fail)
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I welcome the officials from the section of the Department that deals with fisheries. I am pleased that we have been given an update on the ongoing review of the Common Fisheries Policy. I generally agree with what the Secretary General said in his presentation. The whole area of discards is a feature of the global fishing environment. According to the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation, some 7.3 million tonnes of fish are discarded overboard each year. That is disgraceful in a world of poverty and hunger. In this country alone, approximately 400,000 people are out of work. A fisherman in Kilmore Quay who recently gave away fish he had brought ashore - he did the right thing by not charging for it - is being brought through the courts through no fault of his own. Ireland and other EU member states have to observe the discards rule as a result of an outrageous European ruling. This is an example of one good thing that can come out of the review of the Common Fisheries Policy.

How will the regionalisation issue raised in the Secretary General's presentation pan out? What would be the position if the fishing activities here were to be regionalised? I am thinking of the offshore islands in areas such as Donegal and the islands off Connemara? What if there were specific regionalised measures in place? Commissioner Damanaki comes from a small region and she has been very vocal in her support for the regionalisation of smaller fisheries. What steps have been taken and has any progress been made in that regard? During the negotiations at Council level or even among officials dealing with the Commission were any steps taken to seek protections for smaller island fishermen, particularly those with vessels of 10 m or less? Were any specific measures sought to protect the smaller fishing fleet?

While it is not exclusively an area within the Common Fisheries Policy, CFP, fishermen on the north-west coast are prohibited from mixed stock fishing in area 6A. I refer in particular to the fishermen in Arranmore Island and Tory Island whose way of life until now would have involved mixed stock fishing but they are precluded from doing that because of the draconian rulings brought in through the Common Fisheries Policy and, moreover, by our own Department. I am aware there is scientific data to back up the reasoning behind the decision but at the same time we are talking about only a few fishermen. I understand the Commission is moving towards a view that area 6A could be opened up but we must be careful not to open it up to the massive trawlers also. If it is to be opened up it should be opened up for the local smaller fishermen who will not exploit the fish source in area 6A but who will fish it, earn a livelihood from it and add to an island way of life which has been a tradition through the centuries. Is Mr. Moran aware, outside of the CFP, of any movement in bringing about favourable steps in that regard?