John Perry (Sligo-Leitrim, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 26: To ask the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources when he will end the imposition of the present operating hours for Killybegs and other major ports and restore full landing times at ports which are essential, particularly for the pelagic industry. [8068/05]

Noel Dempsey (Meath, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

New EU control requirements relating to pelagic fisheries were introduced in 2004. These requirements were introduced to meet concerns about possible illegal fish landings in these fisheries across Europe. Such control is a key element in fisheries management policy and enables the sustainable management and development of the fisheries concerned.

The requirements created new and more onerous obligations for member states to ensure all landings of pelagic fish over ten tonnes were weighed in the presence of controllers. In implementing the new EU procedures, my Department has acceded to industry requests to allow landings at a variety of ports. The immediate impact of that decision was that some restrictions had to be placed on permitted landing times. In order to implement this with the available resources, it was necessary to restrict the landing times in the designated pelagic ports. The new controls were extended to the south and east coast with the inclusion of the Celtic Sea and Irish Sea herring fisheries from 2005 onwards.

While I accept that it is desirable to provide 24 hour cover for major ports where possible this has to be balanced by the legal obligations which the State carries to ensure adequate control presence at those ports when they are open. In this respect I recognise the need to augment the Department's seafood control resources so as to permit longer opening times at key ports. My Department is currently pursuing a case for the necessary additional resources.