Fishing arrangements and Spanish licences
After Deasy asked to hear the answer again, the Minister restated that no new EEC effort restrictions had been imposed and outlined Spain’s arrangements. Murphy challenged whether the 50-mile limit had been abandoned; Lenihan said Spanish fishing remained effectively restricted beyond 50 miles, with fewer licences and a reduced allocation.
I always like to be helpful. The reply is as follows:
No new restrictions on fishing effort have been imposed on EEC fishing vessels in recent weeks.
As regards Spain the position is that EEC Regulations up to 31 March 1979 effectively restricted Spanish fishing in our waters from 1 October last to an area which at no point is less than 50 miles outside baselines. The EEC has recently reached agreement with Spain on fishing arrangements in Community waters for the remainder of this year. In so far as Ireland is concerned this basically involves a continuance of existing arrangements with a reduction in licence numbers and catch allocation in our waters.
Comment on this
May I assume from the Minister's reply that the 50-mile exclusive limit, which was bandied about so much by the Minister for Foreign Affairs and others, has now gone by the board?
Comment on this
This arises directly from Question No. 11 on the Order Paper. Is the 50-mile exclusive limit now completely forgotten, the limit which the Minister for Foreign Affairs, the Minister for Health, the Minister for the Gaeltacht, the Minister for Defence——
Comment on this
If the Deputy had listened to my reply he would know this amounts to an effective 50-mile limit as far as Spain is concerned, and involves a further reduction of 16 per cent for the rest of this year in the number of licences to be issued to Spanish vessels outside 50 miles. The total number of licences for Community waters has been reduced from 240 to 200. All of this is outside 50 miles from our baseline.
Comment on this
The Minister's bluff was called last night. The Minister for Foreign Affairs should be blushing. He was positive with his legal knowledge that we only had to establish——