Dáil debates

Tuesday, 24 March 2009

 

Fishing Industry Development.

3:00 pm

Photo of Trevor SargentTrevor Sargent (Dublin North, Green Party)

I appreciate the Deputy's sincerity in this regard. If the answer had been front-loaded, I would have read the following.

I appreciate that the introduction of these new conservation measures are a challenge and, therefore, we have established a steering group involving the Federation of Irish Fishermen, the Irish Fishermen's Organisation, Bord Iascaigh Mhara, the Marine Institute and the Department to provide support to the industry in regard to the practical implementation of these new measures. The effort allocations already made were done on a pilot basis only and I am prepared to make amendments where proposed by the steering group within the legal framework that was established.

With regard to specific initiatives available to Ireland under the terms of the regulation, the group has, at our request, examined the possibility of applying for exemptions for groups of vessels catching less than 1.5% of cod in their catch. On the basis of this examination, our officials have now made a submission to the European Commission seeking an exemption for any vessel which on an annual basis for the years 2007 and 2008 had less than 1.5% of cod in its catch.

Other measures being examined by the steering group could, under the regulation, be applied in order to buy back effort, which would reduce it from 25% to perhaps 20%, which would mean we would have more to distribute in terms of allocation for the boats that need it. The measures would include, among other things, the introduction of highly selective fishing gear that reduces cod catches to below 1% and cod avoidance measures such as both mandatory and voluntary seasonal and real-time closures. The Marine Institute and Bord Iascaigh Mhara are currently examining options in this regard which will, in turn, be considered by the steering group.

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