Pearse Doherty (Donegal South West, Sinn Fein)

I support the Minister's comments on earlier questions. However, I ask him to consider in particular those who are fishing with smaller boats. I tried to raise on the Adjournment the issue of last Monday's storm, in which fishermen in Arranmore Island lost €150,000 worth of lobster pots. As a result of conservation elements and because of EU and State law, those fishermen cannot fish for salmon and cannot fish in area 6A, and now their livelihoods in lobster fishing have been taken away. There are issues in the CFP, particularly to do with area 6A and boats under 15 m, that must be addressed. I ask the Minister to consider the effects of the natural disaster that occurred on Monday.

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