Martin Ferris (Kerry North, Sinn Fein)
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Question 136: To ask the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources if he will make a statement on the future of 65 foot polyvalent licences; and his plans to prevent holders of these licenses from catching pelagic species. [36170/05]

Pat Gallagher (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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I am currently examining proposals that have been submitted to me by the fishing industry concerning the mackerel fishery by polyvalent vessels. This examination is not confined to polyvalent vessels under 65 feet and will include vessels both above and below this size threshold.

The overriding objective of the examination is to ensure a rational and orderly exploitation of the available mackerel quota and I hope that it will prove possible to achieve this objective in a manner which will, subject to available quota, enable vessels from either size category to continue to catch mackerel in the future.