Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)

I am glad to have the opportunity to speak briefly on this motion and I thank my colleague, Deputy Creed, for bringing it forward and continuing to raise issues that affect fishermen and their families along the coast. I wish the Minister well because he has come in at the deep end on this issue. This is not a time for learning — the Minister has many experienced advisers available to him — it is a time for action and a tough stance in Europe with regard to Irish fishing.

It is no exaggeration to say the fishing industry is in crisis. It needs help at a national level, which the Government can provide if it wishes, and also at an EU level to ensure the industry survives and grows in the future. The commercial viability and very existence of many fishing boats is under threat from what can only be described as a perfect storm of challenges that are hitting the industry simultaneously. Fishermen have no control over most of these challenges. They include a combination of dramatic increases in fuel prices, which are up by 40% this year, a lack of quota, over-capacity in the fleet, the stagnation and decline of fish prices and competition from illegal, unregulated and unreported catches, which are driving prices down. Other challenges include enforcement practices in Ireland that, in many areas, are outside EU norms, particularly to the criminalisation of fishermen for certain breaches of regulations, an issue that has been raised by many of my colleagues, and the slow progress in implementing the Cawley report, the accepted blueprint for the future development of the industry at sea and, equally importantly, on shore. Owing to all of these factors the Irish fishing industry faces a severe challenge. Fishermen are not politicians and would not easily decide to blockade ports in an effort to focus attention on this issue but they have decided to do so on this occasion out of desperation. Any person in this House who has met fishermen or their families in the past month will understand the desperation they feel.

Fishing is, rightly, a highly regulated industry, influenced and controlled by policy decisions at a European and national level. Within the EU it is acknowledged that fishermen face a crisis and agreement on a financial rescue package was expected in last week's Council meeting. The rescue package has not yet materialised and we have been asked to wait until next month to see what happens. I urge the Minister to ensure that Irish fishermen get their fair share in the package finally agreed at Council level and, more importantly, that the way in which the fund is calculated and divided, in terms of EU funds and national funds, does not disadvantage Irish fishermen and their families. If the Government is required to match compensatory funds from Europe it should be forthcoming with them, even allowing for the budgetary constraints we face.

I welcome progress regarding illegal and unreported fishing but it will take time to see results in pricing and so on. I commend my colleague, Deputy Jim O'Keeffe, on his examination of how we can make the shift from criminal prosecutions to a fines-based mechanism. He is making a genuine effort to do this in a way that is legally consistent.

I will finally mention discards, the most disgraceful element of the Common Fisheries Policy. I would like Ireland to take the lead on this issue. At a global level, 7.3 million tonnes of dead fish are thrown back into the sea each year, at a time when many people throughout the world do not have enough food to feed themselves. Some 18% of those discards happen in the north-east Atlantic, much of which is designated as Ireland's territorial waters. Some 1.3 million tonnes of fish are thrown back into the north-east Atlantic each year because fishermen cannot bring it ashore or are trying to hide what they have caught. It is not sustainable, morally acceptable or right. In fairness, the Department has made an effort to bring about a change of policy in respect of discards at EU level. The Minister should champion such efforts in Brussels because people are looking for leadership. It is ridiculous that fishermen have to throw dead by-catch into the sea. Whatever they do with it, they should not have to discard it in such a manner. They should be allowed to bring it ashore. A mechanism should be put in place whereby fishermen can report any by-catch they should not have caught. They should be encouraged to bring it to the shore so it can be used to feed people. Fishermen should get some compensation for catching it, rather than hiding it as many of them do at present.

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