Mary Moran (Labour)

I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy McEntee, to the Seanad to address this Adjournment matter. I also welcome and pay tribute to Ms Karen Dubsky and members of Coastwatch who supplied me with background to this issue.

Regarding the recent opening of shellfish harvesting in Dundalk Bay, a Natura 2000 site, can the Minister of State provide detail on any quality issues encountered in exporting cockles from that site this season? The first batch exported apparently was black, and was rejected. This does not look favourable for us when we are trying to build up a good reputation. It raises questions about quality control. The general public and those fishing should be made aware of such matters. I ask that full records on the amount of cockles taken per week so far this season be made available to us. This is needed to keep the public informed on the number of boats and the fishing effort in the bay, a Natura 2000 site, which take from what is a commonage resource.

I urge the Minister of State to control razorshell dredging in this protected site, in particular because the Marine Institute's annual stockbook of 2010 highlighted the fact razorshell dredging has had a high impact and should be controlled. The largest razorshell beds in the country lie off the coast between counties Dublin and Louth and into Dundalk Bay. Razorshell fishing, as now carried out, is highly damaging because it hoovers up the seabed. The traditional alternative of hand-raking and diving, which has minimal impact, is not seen as worthwhile as there is no eco-label to highlight sustainable fishing. However, with the reform of fisheries, that should eventually happen. We should not wreck the stocks, therefore, but should seek to build up local markets and tourism for high-value mixed fisheries that can be fished in a sustainable manner. As with cockles, the public has a right to know about its commonage and how same is being managed by our Government.

On the halting of the hand-picking of cockles for home consumption, I ask the Minister of State to consider the wording of the regulation, which states that only people with a licence are entitled to pick cockles for home consumption. However, only 20 licences are available. Furthermore, these licences were available only until 30 September. From that date, no member of the public has been entitled to pick cockles for home consumption, a fact concerning which the majority of the public is not aware.