The Minister for the Marine, Mr Fahey, says cuts are inevitable in the European fishing fleet, but has pledged that his Government will try to minimise the impact on the Irish coastline.
He was commenting on proposals published yesterday in Brussels by the European Commission which aim to reduce the number of vessels in the Community fleet by 8.5 per cent, or 18 per cent in terms of tonnage.
However, a tougher response was given by Mr Padraic White, chairman of Ireland's strategy review group on the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP). He described the Commission's plan for fleet cuts as "a crude and unsophisticated instrument" which would not protect fish stocks as it did not address the issue of fishing effort.
The Commission is proposing a ban on public funding for new and modernised vessels as part of its plan for reform of the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP). It also wants to do away with what it describes as the "annual ritual" of setting fishing quotas "at too-high levels". It wants member-states to fix catches multi-annually on the basis of most recent scientific advice rather than under the current system of maximum political pressure.
Speaking in Galway, where he announced details of a €56 million package to renew the Irish whitefish fleet, the Minister acknowledged that his successor in the marine brief would have a tough job at next month's EU Fisheries Council, where the Commission's final proposals are due to be discussed.
He paid tribute to the Irish negotiating team from his Department, and said that the task was to try and ensure that the changes were sensible and did not devastate the industry.
The Minister also emphasised that yesterday's announcement of EU/State funding for 38 new vessels had been in transition for two years and was part of commitments totalling €195 million in investment made in the National Development Plan. It did not involve additional tonnage, as new vessels were simply replacing old ones tonne for tonne, he said.
The package was warmly welcomed by Mr Jason Whooley of the Irish South and West Fishermen's Organisation and Mr Sean O'Donoghue of the Killybegs Fishermen's Organisation. Mr O'Donoghue described it as a carefully crafted plan involving a "rigorous assessment" by Bord Iascaigh Mhara (BIM).
The 38 new vessels, most of which are under 15 metres in length, represented the largest single financial initiative for the whitefish industry, according to Mr Pat Keogh, chief executive of BIM. A further 16 vessels were between 16 and 46 metres in length and would allow Irish fishermen to compete on equal terms in offshore fishing grounds, the Minister said. The idea of the programme was to secure competitiveness, safety and sustainability, he said.
The Government's fleet measure also provides for introduction of modern second-hand vessels, and there is a special scheme to assist young fishermen to buy their first vessel. A separate "fisheries innovation and sustainability" measure amounting to almost €12 million has been approved to support better management of fish stocks, conservation programmes, e-commerce, quality improvement and inshore fisheries schemes.
The European Commission's proposals are due to be discussed by the Irish Strategy Review Group on the CFP on June 13th, and its chairman, Mr Padraic White, told The Irish Times yesterday that he was very disappointed with the Commission's plan.
"This headline approach to fleet reduction fails to recognise the difference between it and fishing effort," Mr White said. "If we don't control fishing effort, we will still have overfishing in areas like the Irish Box. We have argued for protection of the Irish Box as the most biologically sensitive area in Community waters, and yet this doesn't seem to have been taken on board."
Ireland had also made very enlightened proposals on technical conservation measures and designation of "recovery areas" , which had the support of fishermen, he said. Mr White said he welcomed the Commission's proposal to establish regional advisory groups.
•The Green MEP, Ms Patricia McKenna, welcomed the reforms, but strongly criticised Mr Fahey for announcing a fleet investment package on the same day.