Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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Question 89: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food the Government's position with regard to internal transferable quotas; her views on the re-flagging of the Johanna Maria here; her Department's intentions in this case; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13012/08]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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The position in relation to Ireland's quotas is that they are national assets and as such they are treated as public resources. This long held policy was endorsed by the Seafood Industry Strategy Review Group, under the Chairmanship of Dr. Noel Cawley, Dr. Cawley, in his report, notes the widespread opposition of the fishing sector in general to the introduction of any system of individual transferable quotas. This is a policy which I strongly endorse.

With regard to the vessel the Johanna Marie, I understand that the Licensing Authority for Sea-Fishing Boats has received a licence application and issued a licence offer in respect of this vessel for the Refrigerated Sea Water (RSW) Pelagic Segment of the Irish fishing fleet. The Licensing Authority will only enter the Johanna Maria on the Irish Fishing Boat Register and issue an Irish sea-fishing-boat licence when all the mandatory conditions of the licence offer have been complied with.