John Perry (Sligo-Leitrim, Fine Gael)
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Question 351: To ask the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources the Government policy on the promotion of the inshore fishing industry; if there are figures available for the number of people working in this industry at present; if there are figures for recent years; if his attention has been drawn to the fact that over-regulation in the sector concerning boats under 26 ft. is killing off the industry in many areas such as Achill Island, where people depend on fishing in order to sustain living on the island; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10043/06]

John Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail)
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Significant progress has been made in recent years on the development and management of Ireland's inshore fisheries, particularly on such issues as fleet licensing and registration, inshore stock assessment and research, and also management policy.

The scheme for the licensing of traditional pot fishing boats in the Irish inshore fleet is now in the process of being completed and will see some 500 inshore vessels regularised and brought into the licensing and registration system. In addition, the recommendations made by Padraic White on the segmentation of the Irish fishing fleet post decommissioning have been implemented. The scallop fleet has now been ring fenced to better match fishing effort to the resource and the polyvalent segment has been further segmented into over and under 18 metre vessels to prevent the transfer of capacity between the inshore sector and the offshore sector which will also underpin resource sustainability.

The process of producing resource assessments to support the development of management plans for key inshore fisheries is also making significant progress. Resource assessments, essential to making informed decisions on the future management of these stocks, have now been completed for the brown crab, lobster and scallop fisheries.

Following the launch of the shellfish management framework last year, significant progress has been made in its implementation. Inaugural meetings have been held for all four species advisory groups, enabling the full participation of the sector in the management process in a unique co-operative framework between State and industry.

I do not accept that there is over-regulation in this sector. Regulatory measures are in my view a key element in the achievement of stock sustainability and I believe there is widespread acceptance in the sector of the various measures and initiatives that are being taken.

As regards the numbers employed in the inshore sector, periodic surveys carried out by Bord Iascaigh Mhara over the past few years indicate that this has remained fairly constant at around 3,500.