Ivana Bacik (Independent)

I welcome the opportunity to contribute to this debate and welcome the key findings of the Cawley report, notably the finding that the Irish seafood industry is an indigenous industry based on the utilisation of a renewable and highly prized natural resource. It was noted in the report that the industry is critical for the sustainable economic and social development of coastal communities around the country and that the industry depends on sustainable fish stocks and a healthy marine environment. I emphasise these aspects of the report, and note that the Minister mentioned the need for action to safeguard the industry. Recently, however, there was an example where the Government failed to live up to the standards expected in the Cawley report when it came to cockle dredging.

On 25 October, I tabled a motion in the House calling for a particular set of regulations, SI 531 of 2007, to be rescinded. These regulations were passed in July and allowed fishing boats to dredge for cockles in Waterford estuary, a protected conservation area. Although there were restrictions on the times boats could dredge, dredging was permitted. The marine conservation NGO, Coastwatch Ireland, monitored the area where dredging was allowed between August and October and found enormous damage was being done to the seabed as a result of the dredging of large quantities of matter.

Coastwatch Ireland was alarmed by this and sought action from the Minister. It considered the dredging was in breach of the EU habitats directive but was told there was very little monitoring or control going on and that there was a gentlemen's agreement between the dredgers and the State. Clearly this was not acceptable and in those circumstances I raised the matter. I also mentioned that Ireland is out of line with other EU countries, which have banned dredging for cockles in the interests of preserving marine life and ensuring a sustainable fishing industry and sustainable coastal community development, exactly as the Cawley report suggests.

I pointed out that in other EU countries, cockle fishing is only allowed by hand. As a result, cockles are very expensive and there is a lucrative market outside Ireland, where cockles are worth €1,600 per tonne. The cockles dredged in Waterford were mostly exported. I am glad to say, however, that following my intervention, the Government moved and introduced a new set of regulations. I have only just received Regulation 753/2007, signed by the Minister on 12 November, which provides that Irish sea fishing boats, or persons on board, or those using any other harvesting method shall not fish, attempt to fish or have on board cockles harvested in the Waterford estuary area. These regulations will provide for a ban on the taking of cockles by fishing boats or their harvesting by any means except by hand for private consumption in the Waterford estuary.

I welcome the signing of those regulations, which will mean the damage Coastwatch Ireland had feared would be irreparable will not be done to the estuary. The difficulties surrounding the issue show how far short we fall from the standards outlined in the Cawley report on the seafood industry. They also show the lack of commitment given to the development of sustainable coastal communities. It is fine to pay lip-service to the report but that example showed a lack of commitment in practice and in terms of resources that would have ensured a protected marine area was not irreparably damaged by such large-scale dredging.

Coastwatch Ireland has called for practical measures to address the need to develop sustainable coastal communities, pointing out that well chosen and well managed marine protected areas will assist in developing the fishing industry and should be monitored and developed in conjunction with local fishermen. There should be coherent coastal zone management for the entire coastline.

Senator McCarthy mentioned the difficulty in finding out who is responsible for the marine. The Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources signed the original regulation in July on cockle dredging but now the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Fisheries is responsible and it fell to her to sign the new regulation. Part of the problem is that matters fell between different Departments, showing up the lack of commitment to the aspirations of the Cawley report.