Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The Deputy is right on his last point. There is a perception among some people who, in my view, do not understand the fishing industry that all fishermen just want to go out and catch as much as they can, and that they will catch whatever they can get away with catching. That is not the case. In recent years we have seen the fishing industry take a very responsible approach towards a number of stocks. The results indicate that herring stock in the Celtic sea is the best example. There has been a dramatic increase and I hope that increase will continue into the future in terms of available quota. There is also the development of the boarfish fishery, of which Ireland has two-thirds. The industry developed that fishery and put its own money into the science around it.

The industry is very progressive in Ireland. Yes, there are some people who are breaking the rules and we need to enforce the rules and hold those people to account. Unfortunately, we have witnessed some of that in recent weeks. That reflects, I suspect, the pressures under which the fishermen are operating.

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