Memorandum submitted by the Anglo-North
Irish Fish Producers' Organisation Ltd (W22)
1. Yesterday in Kilkeel the funeral was
held of a local fisherman who was lost at sea when his fishing
vessel sank last week. For the many communities around the UK
and Ireland that depend upon the sea this is not an uncommon situation.
However, while we hesitate at making forecasts we would predict
that such events will become increasingly regular in Northern
Ireland. Since February 2002 five fishermen from Kilkeel have
been lost at sea as a result of their small fishing vessels sinking.
In the 10 years prior to February 2002 there were no fatalities
from this port for such reasons. Commentators debate the socio-economic
consequences that fisheries policies have upon fishing communities.
I would suggest that we are witnessing the real socio-economic
consequences of these policies, as fishermen are encouraged to
decommission larger vessels and opt for a career in much smaller
fishing boats.
2. Of course training and safety awareness
is an issue, but there is no lack of it in Northern Ireland for
those who want to avail of it. During the 10 weeks of the 5th
successive Irish Sea Cod closure this year, this Organisation
together with the local Sea Fish Industry Training Association
was able to put 155 fishermen through statutory training courses.
However, the continuing funding of these courses, as well as assistance
with the provision of safety equipment remains a live issue.
3. Much has been heard about the problems
facing the Scottish fishing industry, in particular over the past
few years as a succession of decommissioning schemes have removed
much of the Scottish whitefish fleet. I would suggest that those
problems facing the Northern Irish industry preceded the Scottish
industry's problems. Warnings to our Scottish colleagues trumpeted
through the columns of "Fishing News" were ignored.
4. Northern Ireland's fishing industry is
worth approximately £100 million per annum. It represents
about 5% of the UK industry's worth. Over 90% of fish and shellfish
landed are exported. Today, the over 10 metre fishing fleet stands
at around 135 fishing vessels, down from over 200 vessels in the
early '90s. The average age of a local fishing vessel is 34 years.
Around 1,650 men and women are employed by the local industry650
at sea and the remainder on shore. There is a growing dependence
upon eastern European labour. Indeed one in five crewmembers in
Kilkeel are of eastern European descent. There are language problems,
which the local community are organising to overcome. The list
of issues and problems could continue, but they are very similar
to the problems faced elsewhere. Of course local fishermen make
a comparison between themselves and their colleagues from the
Republic of Ireland. While Irish fishermen do have their problems,
they have benefited from European grant aid that has helped to
rebuild their fleet. In the UK context European grant aid has
helped to scrap the fleet.
5. In January 2003 the Prime Minister tasked
his Strategy Unit to carry out a review of the UK's fishing industry.
The result. "Net benefits" was published in March 2004.
The 33 recommendations it contains include some that this Organisation
can welcome, others we fear and some that we are still seeking
an explanation of. Some within the industry have dismissed the
report. They are understandably sceptical of the process. This
Organisation, while expressing its concerns, has decided to engage
in the process in an attempt to create a framework that will provide
some hope to our fishing industry. The fact is that no short-term
credible alternative to this process exists. Even withdrawal from
the Common Fisheries Policy seems to be some way off.
6. So what is the problem? Quite simply
it is the fisheries management regimenot a lack of fish.
It is the combination of the Common Fisheries Policy with its
most important ingredient, which is outdated and ill-conceived
fisheries science. The results are easily illustrated by the following
table showing the evolution of quotas in the Irish Sea between
1994 and 2004.
IRISH SEA TACs (TONNES): 1994 to 2004
Species | 1994
| 2004 | Change
|
Cod | 6,200 | 2,150
| -65% |
Whiting | 8,000 | 510
| -94% |
Plaice | 3,100 | 1,340
| -57% |
Nephrops | 20,000 | 17,500
| -12.5% |
Haddock | 600 | 1,500
| +150% |
Herring | 7,000 | 4,800
| -31% |
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7. The first reaction by many observers to such statements
is predictable"The fishermen are in denial. They can't
and won't admit that over fishing is the problem." On 5 September
2003, in an attempt to counter this perception, this Organisation
held a seminar in Kilkeel, a report on which is attached as an
addition to this submission. It is self-explanatory. Suffice to
say that this Organisation has now been awarded a significant
sum of money to continue its investigations into the alternative
science by the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development
in Northern Ireland and it is an issue picked up in "Net
Benefits".
8. Many advocate withdrawal from the Common Fisheries
Policy (CFP) and "Net Benefits" is charged with largely
ignoring this important issue. We are no supporter of the CFP,
but we are unsure where withdrawal would take us. Indeed, we would
suggest that many, including politicians and fisheries scientists
hide behind the veil of the CFP as a convenient way of avoiding
the real issue. Politicians will always fall back on the best
available science. When questioned about what their polices would
be following withdrawal, especially with regard to TAC levels,
politicians have refused to answer such questions, describing
them as "theoretical". These questions represent the
hub of the issue.
9. One only has to look at experiences outside of the
EU/CFP. Canada, Iceland and Norway are not members of the EU/CFP,
yet their fishermen have suffered in many similar ways to Northern
Irish fishermen. In August the UK's Fisheries minister visited
Iceland and seemed to hail the fisheries regime in force there,
in particular the ITQs. Closer examination shows that since throwing
UK and other European fishermen out of their territorial waters
in the 1970s, claiming the this would leave more fish for their
own fishermen, the catch of Cod around Iceland has practically
halved and many fishing communities have closed down. Does this
ring a bell? Remember, Iceland is not part of the CFP, but it's
fisheries policies are directed by ICES fisheries scientists,
the same club that advises the EU. The Faroe Islands is one North
Atlantic fishing community that seems to have got it right. It
is not a member of the EU, but it seems the main reason it's fishing
industry is a success is because it has politicians who have been
brave enough to ignore the "best available" ICES science.
This in a country that is 99% dependent upon fish exports. The
UK Fisheries Minister visited the Faroe Islands a few weeks ago.
It is interesting to note that he did not comment too much on
his findings there!
10. Progress with "Net Benefits" has been slow
and this is frustrating. Decisions on TACs and effort control
for 2005 will be taken in a little over four weeks time on 22
and 23 December 2004, two years after the decisions that led to
"Net Benefits" were made. So far as the Irish Sea is
concerned, despite sea area closures, reduced TACs, the introduction
of additional technical conservation measures (as proposed by
the fishermen), tie-up schemes, increased enforcement and control
measures and decommissioning, on top of which has come increased
costs, especially those associated with fuel, officials tell us
their forecast for 2005 is "pessimistic". It is difficult
to keep the moral amongst our fishermen at a level that will encourage
them to stay on in the industry until either "Net Benefits"
of withdrawal from the CFP offers a lifeline. It should be noted
that while "Net Benefits" recommendation 4 calls for
further reduction in the fleet, which was initially greeted by
some sections of the fleet with dismay, the fact remains there
is a thirst for more decommissioning amongst our fishermen. "Net
benefits" has much to live up to.
17 November 2004
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