Michael Comiskey (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Minister to the House to debate this very important issue pertaining to the Irish fishing industry. Ireland has 7,500 km of clean coastline which contributes €700 million in national income and supports 12,000 local jobs. It is vitally important that this resource be protected when necessary from abuse by a minority. The programme for Government includes a commitment to introduce a system of fixed penalty notices for minor fishery offences. This will bring Ireland into line with other European countries.

I commend my colleagues on the other side of the House on taking the initiative and publishing their own Bill but agree with the Minister that the sanctions contained therein do not present a sufficient deterrent. The effectiveness of these deterrents is particularly important as illegal fishing can impinge upon those working in the sector, and may have long lasting consequences for fishing stocks and the communities which are dependent on all operators acting fairly. By moving to replace criminal sanctions with an administrative sanction scheme I anticipate that, similar to road traffic offences, those working in the industry will have a very clear understanding of the range of offences and the consequences of any infringements. Such a system will take time and consideration before it can be put in place.

I agree with the Minister that any sanctions must be capable of acting as a real deterrent. This is particularly important where an income or a profit may be likely to derive from an illegal act. The quotas which apply have been hard won by the Minister and his Department to benefit the whole of the fishing community. With the demand for quality seafood products increasing it is important that produce from Ireland remains on the shelves. In previous years Ireland was made to pay, by means of annual deductions from the national quota, for undeclared landings of mackerel. A recurrence in a buoyant market could be detrimental to the fishing sector.

The Bill removes the automatic confiscation of fishing gear on conviction. The removal of such a provision would further diminish the effectiveness of the sanctions against illegal fishing. It is important to remember that this sanction is only applicable upon conviction of a criminal offence. This sanction is not overly harsh. In many professions, similar sanctions restraining individuals are applied. For instance if a solicitor contravenes the professional code, his or her practising certificates may be withdrawn. If an individual chooses to jeopardise the livelihood of others and the sustainability of fishing stocks, real and effective sanctions are the only means of protecting this resource for everyone else.

I thank the Minister for coming to the House and acknowledge the positive work his Department has been doing in this area, particularly for his part in bringing all parties to the point of agreeing to the phased introduction of a ban on discards from January 2014 and negotiations on quotas. It is vital to support the smaller fishermen along our coastline. I welcome the fact that the Minister is working on reforming the penalties system and look forward to those proposals coming before the House in due course.