Written answers

Wednesday, 28 January 2009

Department of Arts, Sport and Tourism

Tourism Industry

9:00 pm

Photo of James BannonJames Bannon (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael)
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Question 115: To ask the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism if he has had discussions with the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food with regard to the possibility of the EU imposing quotas on sea angling; his views on whether angling tourism here may be damaged by the proposals; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2317/09]

Photo of Martin CullenMartin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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As the Deputy is aware; it is primarily a matter for my colleague, Brendan Smith, T.D. Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, to negotiate the new Fisheries Control System, which is scheduled to come into effect on 1st January 2010. There is no doubt that the proposal as it is currently framed — to count catches of fish taken through recreational fishing against the relevant quotas of Member States — has the potential to adversely affect sea angling tourism. Angling visitors to Ireland are a specialist group and while smaller in comparison to other product specific visitors, they are a loyal group who tend to return year on year. In 2007, angling visitors to Ireland amounted to 128,000, with an estimated spend of €90million; of these visitors 31,000 were sea anglers.

I have asked my officials to monitor the situation in relation to the detailed negotiations on this proposal and to liaise with officials in the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, as necessary. My concern is to mitigate any adverse impact on the sea angling tourism sector, which is an important contributor to the Irish economy, especially in rural and coastal areas.

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