Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)

This year the Commission has decided to take what it calls a precautionary approach. If we cannot provide detailed scientific data to prove that we can maintain fishing efforts on a particular stock, the Commissioner intends to apply an automatic reduction of 25% to the total allowable catch for that stock. I cannot accept that. Either we are applying science or we are not. Our decisions must be made on the basis of science and in respect of a number of fish stocks which may not have sufficient scientific data to estimate a maximum sustainable yield, a number of signals can indicate whether the stocks are healthy. If strong signals about the size and age of a catch suggest that a stock is not under pressure, I cannot stand over the so-called precautionary principle just because the Commissioner would like to implement it. There will be a lot of heated discussions on this issue. I do not disagree with the principle of the Commissioner's proposals but we must base our decisions on science for the sake of stocks and the industry. This will require give and take on both sides.

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