Joe McHugh (Donegal North East, Fine Gael)

I raise this urgent matter because we have an opportunity in the December Agriculture and Fisheries Council meeting to reverse the proposal on closing box 6A. European fisherman will not be allowed to fish within an area comprising 14,600 square miles, or 23% of Irish waters, for a period of one year until the end of December 2009. This will specifically affect the whitefish sector.

Small boats from Greencastle, Burtonport, Killala or Belmullet cannot operate beyond the 100 fathom limit. While I welcome conservation measures in general, bigger French and Spanish trawlers will be able to hoover up cod, whiting and haddock beyond the 100 fathom line. The only people who will suffer, therefore, are the small boat operators who have traditionally worked within this limit. How can we draw a line in Ireland's seas in the interest of conservation? Do we expect fish to stay within this line rather than swimming to the area fished by Spanish and French trawlers? I do not think so.

We need to consider the reality of this situation. We are in effect erecting two pillars and a gate at Ballyshannon in southern Donegal and closing an entire industry. These fishermen were unable to avail of the decommissioning scheme because their boats were too small. They are left with the burden of making repayments on boats. They cannot fish for the next year and will have to sell their boats, which are worthless because they do not come within the remit of the decommissioning scheme, or walk away from the industry to claim social welfare.

The Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food needs to show strength and leadership in Brussels by applying for a derogation for these small boats. There is no reason why they should not fish on a small scale in 23% of Irish waters. They will remain within the parameters of conservation measures.

The scientific and impracticable solution of drawing lines in the sea will not work. Even if we were to limit the days at sea in mackerel fisheries to six weeks as a conservation measure, modern technology and advances in boat building allow boats to hoover up fish during that period. Boats from all over the world take fish during the permitted days at sea.

We have to come up with a new solution. This is an island nation and our fishermen have proposed solutions. I urge the Minister, Deputy Smith, to allow men in small boats who do not damage whitefish stocks to continue fishing. He needs to see sense.

The entire coastal community of Ireland opposed the Lisbon treaty on the basis that it will drive fishermen out of a traditional way of life. I will give those on the Government side of the House some advice. If they want the people to buy into any European treaty we need to start to be pragmatic and introduce a wee bit of common sense. If we show leadership, creativity and vision at a national level we will have a common sense result on our future in Europe.

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