John Perry (Sligo-Leitrim, Fine Gael)
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Question 170: To ask the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources the action he will take to compensate the Irish traditional fleet which is being forced to watch on from the shore while a foreign fleet, licensed through the back door in Northern Ireland, exploits the mussel seed resource in Irish territorial waters; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20265/05]

Pat Gallagher (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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Mussel seed is a naturally occurring resource that requires a management and development strategy in order to maximise the potential return and ensure the sustainability of the stock. In order to ensure a sustainable future for this resource, the mussel seed fishery is managed on an all-island basis. This is done under the Voisinage Agreement, made between Ireland and the UK in respect of Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland waters. Under this agreement, it is required that UK registered vessels licensed by the Northern Ireland authorities to operate in this fishery must be owned and operated in Northern Ireland. Information on the number and details of UK registered vessels to be licensed to operate in this fishery in 2005 has been sought from the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, DARD, in Northern Ireland and is expected shortly.

The mechanism whereby these joint management arrangements are implemented is the seed mussel advisory committee, SMAC. The SMAC advises and makes recommendations, to this Department and DARD, on the equitable management and exploitation of the island's seed mussel resource. The committee comprises representatives from both Departments, as well as Bord Iascaigh Mhara, BIM, the Loughs Agency and the cross-Border aquaculture initiative. The key task of the SMAC is to assess applications for allocations of mussel seed and advise DARD and this Department accordingly. SMAC also makes recommendations to the Departments regarding dates for the opening and closure of the fishery.

As the mussel seed sector has developed in recent years, so the management arrangements have evolved. In preparation for the 2005 season, this Department and DARD have been working to bring about a higher level of industry participation so as to ensure maximum transparency. Pending the finalisation of industry representation on the SMAC, arrangements have been put in place, on an interim basis, for consultation with industry as the process of allocating seed proceeds for the coming season.