Martin Ferris (Kerry North-West Limerick, Sinn Fein)
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I thank Ms Egan for her presentation. There would be huge potential in the industry if it was properly regulated and if resources were more equitably distributed, not only nationally but within the European Union. The way that some of the quotas have been allocated nationally has not been equitable. It is very difficult for people who are on the edge trying to survive, which is probably 80% of our fishing fleets, struggling to make ends meet while trying to comply with restrictions and regulations.

However, when they look a small distance to the west of them, they see large vessels under Lithuanian or Dutch flags and so on that are able to fish without real restrictions on them or without any insight as to what they might have on board. There are two motions before members this morning regarding the second largest fishing factory ship in the world, theMargiris. I believe she is one of 12 factory ships that are fishing off the coast of County Donegal at present. It is not a question of what they are taking but of what they are discarding. The information I have, which I have received from reliable sources and which is supported by a Dutch television station which conducted an interview on board one of these vessels, is that up to 70% of what they are taking is discarded to maximise the potential for the prime fish for the market. This is taking place in the pelagic sector off the north-west coast. In the case of someone who is trying to survive and eke out a living with a very limited quota and who is being hounded day and night by the Sea-Fisheries Protection Authority, SFPA, which is supposed to do its job, it is difficult to have the necessary commitment to bring about the conservation that is necessary in the long term for the future. In itself, that creates a problem.

If one looks at how a national quota is distributed, I note Ms Egan's presentation made reference to one vessel controlling 58.5% of a quota allowance in the Six Counties in the North. I believe 87% of a quota is in the ownership of 23 vessels down here, which is a national quota practically. As for the distribution of other quotas, it is quite evident to all of us who have real concerns for the coastal communities and their survival, as well as the survival of what has been a traditional way of life for many people over many decades and centuries, that when one has political interference to distribute or attribute quota to certain areas, it leaves a terrible taste in one's system.

Ms Egan mentioned how the Common Fisheries Policy, CFP, refers to fair access to fishing resources, that is, "the CFP should contribute to increased productivity, to a fair standard of living for the fisheries sector including small-scale fisheries". That is being totally and absolutely disregarded, both internationally and nationally. It is the powerful who have the political influence and the necessary support to accumulate massive quotas, thereby discriminating against the smaller person who is trying to make a living out of it. I come from an area, with which I believe Ms Egan is familiar, and was involved with the establishment of the Tralee Bay protection and Conservation Association in the 1980s, which then evolved into the Tralee Bay Oyster Fishery Co-operative Society . It probably is one of the best managed facilities of which I am aware in Ireland and the reason for this is because the people who manage it also manage its conservation. It includes fishing representatives, buyer representatives and local government representatives and is an accumulation of representatives. It is not science; they do their own science. It is not science but they do it because they are out fishing and are able to determine what can be taken from the bed to maintain a sustainable yield for future years and that is working a treat. In the case of lobster fishing and crayfish fishing, there are pot men all along the west coast of Ireland and in those areas where one has a well-managed notching mechanism in operation, it again has managed to preserve it. In other areas, however, this is not in place and one might have rogue fishermen who take what they can out of it and do not give a goddamn about what will happen in the future for the genuine person. It is a question of how that can be managed and I would argue, Ms Egan, that one of the biggest problems we face in respect of the depletion of stocks is discard, that is, the discarding of juvenile fish and of food to get the prime fish and a prime price.

This is driven by greed and by people who do not give a goddamn about the next generation; it is only about themselves. Members must try to figure out a way of managing discards.

I take exception to some scientific analysis because it is based precisely or specifically on science but for real analysis, one must have people who are at the coalface of the industry, that is, those who are themselves involved in the fishing sector. I understand this now is taking place in many areas, where one has a co-ordinated effort by people on the front line, as well as the scientific analysis. There is an obligation on everyone, as elected representatives, members of society or of fishing communities to ensure the survival of such communities. However, there is a huge political onus on the Government - as there was on successive Governments in the past - to ensure the inclusion of a living for small-scale fisheries as set out in the Common Fisheries Policy, CFP. While this is in the CFP in black and white, it is not being implemented. Members must find some way to ensure that when the Minister goes to meetings, he does everything in his power to ensure this or that he takes a mandate from members of the committee and from the people of Ireland to prosecute that part of the policy, namely, fair distribution and not 23 boats owning 87% of a quota. That was wrong on the day it was set up and still is wrong. Moreover, the position is not getting better but remains the same. I seek the creation of a level playing pitch and equal opportunity for people who are trying to survive. My concern is for the 80% of the small boats in the whitefish fishery and inshore fishing. They must survive because every cent they have goes into their own economy whereas in the case of factory ships, which have taken hundreds of thousands of tonnes out of our waters, not a single cent comes into our economy. Consequently, a way must be found to achieve this objective and if one is obliged to have fewer catches and better conservation methods to increase yields in the future, I have no problem with that. However, one must create the will to do this and that cannot exist when one is competing with an unequal distribution of resources, which I perceive to be the main problem.