Joe McHugh (Fine Gael)

I move:

That Seanad Éireann condemns the Government for its inaction in relation to:

(1) A full review of days at sea, and also a comprehensive review of tonnage allocation, particularly in relation to the white-fish industry;

(2) fishermen and co-ops who are frustrated at licensing delays with the lack of response from the Department of Communications, Marine and Natural Resources;

(3) the lack of progress in relation to promised investment in harbour development;

(4) the new licensing and control regime for aquaculture and shell fish farming;

(5) fish farming delays in relation to licensing; and

(6) the promotion of sea-angling as a viable option for future tourism development.

I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Gallagher, to the House and congratulate him on his new portfolio. His appointment indicates a deliberate attempt by the Government to acknowledge the needs of the fishing sector, as the Minister of State has the expertise, skills, knowledge and experience of living by the sea as well as understanding the intricacies of everything to do with inland and other fishing.

This motion is tabled in a form which is critical and negative. However, I hope it will stimulate debate in the long term since positive debate is required to meet the future needs of the fishing industry. It is particularly essential given the conditions which prevail at present. In our own back yard, there is a great deal of negative labelling of the fishing industry, which is overshadowing the good concrete work which has been done by the major players in the past few decades in Donegal specifically and which has a resonating impact throughout the rest of the country.

The biggest impact is that people from different parts of the country feel the marine sector is not getting the recognition it deserves in terms of a Government portfolio. It is included in the Department of Communications, Marine and Natural Resources and I understand a fight took place for it to be included in the title of that Department. Aside from all the domestics of the recent Front Bench re-shuffle, Fine Gael has highlighted the importance of having a specific marine portfolio, which is why Deputy Kenny thought it appropriate to appoint Deputy Perry to the Front Bench as the specific spokesperson on the marine. A further dilution of the marine portfolio would be bad for the people involved in the sector and for its potential.

The total length of the Irish coastline is 7,500 km and the marine industry employs 15,000 people. The total available supply of fish from fishing activity and aquaculture amounted to 354,803 tonnes, valued at €313 million at first point of sale. Sea fish landings at home and overseas amounted to 293,868 tonnes valued at €206 million. Landings made directly into overseas ports, mainly in Scotland, Norway and Spain accounted for €35 million of this value. The aquaculture sector produced an output of 60,935 tonnes in 2001 with a value of €107 million. Some 2,500 people are engaged in the sector farming finfish such as salmon and trout and shellfish such as mussels and oysters. Production of finfish in 2001 amounted to 25,082 tonnes valued at €79 million, while shellfish farmers harvested 35,853 tonnes valued at €28 million.

The home market for seafood is currently valued at €290 million at final point of sale. In 2001, seafood exports reached €433.4 million with a total tonnage of 310,879. Some 76% of exports were sold in EU markets with the remaining 14% going to third countries. The leading market destinations in 2001 were France, Great Britain, Spain, Italy and Germany. Other EU markets amounted to €22 million. Trade with third countries amounted to €96 million, the leading markets being Egypt, Japan, Poland and Romania.

In addition to the core activities of sea fishing, aquaculture production, processing and marketing, the industry generates additional business for ancillary services including transport, equipment supplies, chandlery and net-making among others. This activity provides employment for up to 2,000 people. Fine Gael took this on board seriously by appointing a dedicated marine spokesperson, while the Cabinet has yet to appoint its own marine Minister.

Fine Gael supports any move that would seek to safeguard fish stocks in Irish waters. It is in the environmental and economic interest of the country, not to mention the many communities that rely on fishing for their future. The difficulty many have with the policy is how it reaches its aim and the disadvantage to which many smaller fishermen are put because of the way in which the CFP is implemented. The agreement provides for a range of fishing days, from no restrictions at all to 12 days per month, depending on the type of fishing gear used and the level of cod, sole and plaice catches. Total Irish quotas for 2004 amounted to 204,379 tonnes, compared to 189,500 tonnes for 2003, an increase of 8%.

The deal secured for 2004 also included additional quota secured under the Hague preference system under which Ireland gets additional whitefish quota at the expense of certain other countries. Despite this, the time is right to look at the detail of the deal and see how many Irish fishermen are losing out under the scheme.

Fine Gael's Front Bench spokesperson on the marine, Deputy Perry, has also raised the issue of fines for breaches of these rules. Figures from the European Union show that the average fine for unauthorised fishing in 2001 was €84 in Finland and €1,040 in Denmark, but in Ireland the fine was a staggering €12,700. This is more than 11 times the EU average. The fines for the use or keeping of prohibited fishing gear in this country are seven times the EU average and for failing to record data in logbooks, Irish fishermen pay almost six times the EU average fine. Such breaches are considered criminal offences in this country, while in other EU states only administrative sanctions are imposed. What is more, unlike elsewhere, the entire catch is confiscated upon detection of a breach of the rules.

In no way do we condone the breach of the CFP and we fully support the European Union's attempts to preserve fish stocks but there must be a level playing pitch. It is vital there is a common approach to penalties to ensure Irish fishermen are not put at a disadvantage to their EU counterparts.

The Government has shown its complete indifference to the marine tourist sector by not allocating a penny in funding for the marine and natural resources tourism programme. Although the Estimates published last month indicate that €2 million has been allocated to the sector, which is a cut of 30%, this money will not be spent as it is ring-fenced for the four infamous marina projects at Kenmare, Roundstone, Rosses Point and Caherciveen, which were given the green light without the required EU approval by the former Minister, Deputy Fahey.

The €2 million allocated is unlikely to be spent in light of the huge difficulty in Europe brought about by the manner of the then Minister, Deputy Fahey's, announcement of the four marina projects. These projects were not part of a €25 million EU-approved project to develop and transform coastal tourism in Ireland shelved two years ago because of the "economic climate of the time". With an improvement in the public finances, surely now is the time to dust the scheme off. It is particularly disappointing when combined with the 9% cut in funding for development and upgrading of harbours for fishery purposes. The Government, which has long neglected the needs and livelihoods of fishermen, is now abandoning those who are trying to create alternative ways to sustain communities and protect jobs.

Ireland's tourism industry is booming and it is vital that Ireland exploits its significant potential as an attractive destination for sea angling tourists. With the abundance of coastline and inland waterways, Ireland is the perfect destination for all types of angling holidays. Salmon, trout and sea trout are native species and Ireland's lakes and rivers have preserved their character in a landscape which has changed very little over the centuries. The Irish coastline is also one of the most varied, with dramatic cliffs and many miles of wide strands. This variety offers unlimited opportunities to the sea angler, who can find somewhere to fish all year round.

Ireland also has some of the cleanest and most lightly-fished fresh waters in Europe. The Irish landscape has over 11,000 km of riverbank for the coarse and pike angler. This natural asset is valued by a plethora of bodies from Bord Fáilte to the Central Fisheries Board but Ireland continues to lack a consistent, persistent, aggressive marketing of its fisheries tourist potential. If it is a matter of money, let the Government contemplate the following fact, contained in the national development plan's provision to the BMW region — it was an allocation for "recreation and sport facilities" designed to include fisheries and address the urgent need for their development. By mid-2004, not a single penny of that allocation had been spent. It is not unreasonable to suggest that this underdeveloped area of our tourist potential be targeted for that investment in the years to come.

As well as the nitty-gritty of this motion, Fine Gael's aim in discussing this vital issue is to continue to put pressure on the Government to belatedly take the marine sector seriously. For too long, fishing communities, businesses in the angling sector, seafarers and all who rely on the waters of Ireland have received scant attention from a Government which, as the Celtic tiger roared, lacked the vision to see that Ireland has an invaluable resource that needs to be protected and promoted.

Fine Gael is determined to protect the livelihoods of those who work in our seas and rivers. That does not mean endless subsidies or wishful pipe dreams. It means innovative investment, proper planning and a sense of social justice. Anyone who favours those principles should support this Bill.

I want to make particular reference to a few areas. Without going into too many of the specifics of the days at sea, the groundswell response from many involved in the marine is that the days at sea versus tonnage argument is not working. It is a model designed in Europe which affects seriously the livelihoods of many small fishermen along the coast. As I stated at the outset, it is an area which requires further debate. Finding solutions to issues in the marine sector is not an exact science. The marine sector is changeable. Changing times result in different needs and demands.

There is much hypotheses and theory and many consultancy reports putting forward ideas of coastal zone management and how best aquaculture can survive alongside fish farming and tourism. Many of the studies lack common sense on how all these industries can survive together. Many aquaculture industries such as mussels, scallops and oysters are emerging, not for the first time but perhaps on a grander scale. There should be more emphasis on developing the shellfish sector in conjunction with our natural commercial product, whitefish.

The Minister of State, Deputy Gallagher, will relate to this. The lobster season, although short, is able to sustain the livelihoods of many fishermen through the country. It would make common sense to encourage fishermen to tag and throw back the female lobster. Although the lobster industry is thriving in certain parts, our aim is to conserve. We do not want to fish our waters bare. The Minister is in total agreement with me on this. We certainly want to work on restocking. If this means fishermen getting paid to catch a female lobster, tag it and throw it back in, then that is the way we must move forward. That is one of many measures one could take. There are many such examples of what can be done for the marine harbours in Donegal. Fish farming is thriving in Scandinavia and there is no reason that it could not thrive here also. The Minister is also well aware of the issue of the allocation of licences, which should be addressed.