Eamon Ryan (Dublin South, Green Party)
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Question 115: To ask the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources the steps he intends taking at Council of Ministers and European Commission level to effect radical reform of the European Common Fisheries Policy to ensure that Irish naval vessels have real-time information on the actual quota allocation that is available to each vessel fishing in Irish waters. [2519/06]

Pat Gallagher (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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The Common Fisheries Policy was comprehensively reviewed in 2002. One of its key outcomes was a greater emphasis on fisheries control. The reformed Common Fisheries Policy contains a specific chapter dealing with control and sets a variety of requirements that all member states must implement to ensure that fisheries resources are adequately protected.

While I understand the potential benefits underpinning Deputy Eamon Ryan's suggestion, there would be considerable difficulties with its implementation. It would require all member states to have domestic quota management systems that allocate a quota to each vessel for every fish stock. This level of allocation is not the practice in every member state and such harmonisation is unlikely in the foreseeable future for complex reasons, including quota ownership. Therefore, quota management systems are likely to remain a matter of policy choice for each member state.

However, a number of systems are in place that facilitate control of fishing vessels of other member states. For example, each member state must report to the Commission the level of uptake of their national total allowable catch for each fish species. If the total allowable catch of any species is exhausted, the control services of every member state are immediately alerted by the Commission that a fishing stop is in place for that species.

Ireland also receives notification directly from individual member states of lists of fishing vessels that have access entitlement under the Community legislation on western waters. Ireland's control services also routinely receive information listing the entitlements of listed fishing vessels to participate in specific fisheries. It also advises the flag member state of the logged catches of vessels boarded. It is, accordingly, a matter for the flag member state to take action, including possible prosecution, against any vessel that exceeds internal catch limits established by its administration. This co-operation can be strengthened and the impending establishment of the Community fisheries control agency in Vigo will deliver closer co-operation, thereby making a valuable contribution in the fight against illegal fishing activities.

Eamon Ryan (Dublin South, Green Party)
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In response to an earlier question, the Minister of State assured the House that there is, as much as possible and practicable, a proper control system in place. I assure him that almost everyone involved in this business agrees that there is an utter lack of control in fisheries management, that there is, in effect, an utterly corrupt regime where it is impossible for the Naval Service to ascertain the individual quota for a boat and therefore police the system. In effect, there is open fishing. In those circumstances, is that any surprise?

I want to hear the Minister of State's response to this country's marine scientists, who at an Oireachtas committee last week made the remarkable statement that the figures for the system — the TACs and quotas — are plucked from thin air because no one believes the landing figures given that the system is untenable.

Rather than the Minister of State coming here today and stating it is not possible to fix that fundamental flaw in the system and to even approach Brussels and say that we have a serious problem here, and rather than saying that due to complex difficulties we cannot have real time quotas, I want to know what the Minister will do. Will he continue to be the only person to claim that this system is working when if one talks to any honest fisherman, anyone in the science community or anyone who knows anything about this, they state that this is a corrupt, uncontrollable system? What will the Minister of State do about it?

Pat Gallagher (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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I respectfully suggest to the Deputy that perhaps at some time in the future he visit a number of ports in the country — I can arrange that — and establish for himself what precisely happens when fish are landed. As I stated in reply to Deputy Perry, fishermen must advise in advance that they are landing. They have their log sheets and the sea fisheries officers can inspect them, whether they relate to bulk fish or pelagic species of demersal fish.

Since I took over for marine, together with the Minister, Deputy Noel Dempsey, I have been satisfied that our record has been a fair one. On the suggestion of corruption, that is a matter for investigations that are taking place and we are not hindering those investigations in any way.

Eamon Ryan (Dublin South, Green Party)
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May I suggest——

Pat Gallagher (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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I am entitled to reply and defend the system and the sea fishery officers who do their work. We have those systems in places. As a result of the recent review of the Common Fisheries Policy, we have these responsibilities and we are taking them seriously. I am a great believer in, and the one person who realises the importance of, managing quotas now that the landings are restricted so that we can get full advantage from this. We monitor the system on a regular basis so that we do not have a glut of fish and with the lesser quantities being landed, we can ensure better quality and maximum prices.

I draw the Deputy's attention to the Commission's control scoreboard of last week, from where this all has possibly emanated. It is important not to take the headline from that because that scoreboard was not a fair and balanced assessment of the situation. It referred to three of 60 species. Anyone who understands the industry knows that one cannot cut off to the last tonne or kilo at the end of the year. It referred to black scabbard, prawns and scad. All those were deducted from the quota in the previous year and therefore there were no losers. In Europe, those who understand the industry will agree that there should be an additional 10% at the end of any year, where a shortfall should lead to a carryover and an excess should lead to a reduction.

I will facilitate any Member of this House, and particularly the spokespersons, in visiting ports. It is easy to criticise from the comfort of our offices in Dublin.

Eamon Ryan (Dublin South, Green Party)
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Representatives of the our Marine Institute told the joint committee they do not believe the landing reports. Without referring to individual cases, the system is crooked and utterly corrupt. I seek an honest answer from the Minister of State. Boats from various European countries, including France, Spain and Belgium, can openly fish in Irish waters. How can the Naval Service police the quota system when it does not know the quotas of individual boats? That is the fundamental flaw in the system. Unless the Naval Service has same day information regarding the quota a country has issued to a boat for each species, we have open fishing. Given the number of trawlers fishing in our waters and the technology available on them, our seas will be wiped clean. We have some of the best fishing grounds in the world but we are losing them because the Minister of State is turning a blind eye to that fundamental flaw. Is it acceptable that Irish naval vessels should not know what quotas are available to foreign vessels?

Pat Gallagher (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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I cannot be held responsible——

Eamon Ryan (Dublin South, Green Party)
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He is the Minister responsible.

Pat Gallagher (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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I cannot be held responsible for the Common Fisheries Policy, which does not provide for individual quotas for a period for each vessel.

Eamon Ryan (Dublin South, Green Party)
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The Minister of State should change that.

Pat Gallagher (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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We have that in Ireland. I advocated change.

Eamon Ryan (Dublin South, Green Party)
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When and where?

Pat Gallagher (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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I have done that on numerous occasions.

Eamon Ryan (Dublin South, Green Party)
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The Minister of State should provide us with that information rather than leaking reports. I know what is going on.

Pat Gallagher (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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Action speaks louder than words. We have built quotas into our system, as far as is practicable, but that has not been adopted by all member states. The system pursued in Ireland is not corrupt.

Eamon Ryan (Dublin South, Green Party)
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No, but the entire European system is corrupt.

Pat Gallagher (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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I will try to impress this on colleagues at every opportunity. However, I must be realistic. The Common Fisheries Policy was reviewed in 2003 and it is not possible to make this change. I have no difficulty raising it because, as the custodian of the resource, I have an obligation to future generations. If the Deputy was fully familiar with this issue, he would know the Irish and UK fishing industries have always supported technical conservation measures with a view to ensuring the long-term viability of the industry. I will raise this at every opportunity but I should not be labelled with responsibility for all of Europe because I am not the commissioner.