John Perry (Sligo-Leitrim, Fine Gael)

Mussel farming constitutes Ireland's premier single-species fishery and in 2004 mussel seed production reached 30,000 tonnes, being valued at €22.5 million. The Voisinage Agreement was drawn up in 1964 to confer reciprocal fishing rights on fishermen from Northern Ireland and the Republic outside their exclusive fishery limits. Is the Minister of State not disappointed that it is only a reciprocal agreement without more co-operation?

There seems to be total anarchy with regard to development. This agreement is set down in an exchange of letters and has no basis in law. The Minister of State said that in March he had asked the mussel seed industry to participate in the seed mussel assessment committee, SMAC. To date, industry representatives have not made nominations. Does the Minister of State feel that further action is now needed to move this on? Hitherto, no representative bodies became involved. Will the Minister of State take decisive action to achieve active participation by setting up a new structure to deal with this very serious problem?

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