asked the Minister for Fisheries and Forestry the tonnage of mackerel taken by the Danes from area 6A (i) during 1982, (ii) since the signing of the common fisheries policy.

: I have been informed by the EEC Commission that catches of western stock mackerel by Danish fishermen during 1982 amounted to 14,085 tonnes. As quotas were not in operation until 1983 no details are available of catches in the various ICES areas involved. A catch of 904 tonnes was recorded in the period 27 January to 20 February 1983, for ICES area 6A.

: Does the Minister accept in all sincerity that that figure of 14,085 tonnes is accurate for 1982?

: I have no reason to doubt the accuracy of the figures.

: The reason I am asking this is that the Danes were anxious for a quota of 20,000 tonnes prior to the common fisheries policy and they tell us they caught only 14,000 tonnes. There are reasons to believe that they have caught more than that.

: That is a separate question.

: That is purely speculative and I am not prepared to comment on it.

: It is an important question.

: It is a statistical question.

: It is an important question and far more serious than it might appear. Is the Minister satisfied that the Danish fishing effort is being monitored carefully? The figure he has now quoted for recent catches would not indicate that it is an accurate picture if we are to judge by what took place last year. There must be some method——

: That is a separate question. It does not arise on this.

: It is not a separate question.

: Ceist 24.

: Is the Minister satisfied that the Danish——

: This is not relevant to the question.

: It is relevant to the livelihood of fishermen in the north west.

: I am asking the Minister to answer Question No. 24.

: I would like to give the information but if the Ceann Comhairle says I cannot, I cannot.