My specific question was to inquire what steps have been taken to increase quotas. I appreciate that the Minister's answer is to suggest that the plans of BIM are based on non-quota species. Nonetheless, would the Minister not agree that a lot of the existing fleet, that must also be expanded and defended, rely upon quota species and that there must be an active campaign to improve upon the disastrous quotas that have been fixed for us since they were introduced in the EC? Would he confirm that his Department have active plans to put matters right there?

There has been an active campaign in this Department since both the Minister and I were appointed in March 1987. Shortly after our appointments we met former Commissioner Cunha and impressed upon him the necessity if the industry were to develop, to increase quotas. There is a perception — and I spoke on this subject on an Adjournment debate in reply to the Deputies opposite — that unless there is an increase in the mackerel quota there has been no success in Brussels. This year we had success almost right across the board, apart from the mackerel quota and we have a régime this year——

Why was there a 16 per cent reduction?

The increases achieved by us in Brussels in December last were of the order of £4 million. We do not have to entice our progressive fishermen to fish the unused quotas and also the non-quota species, such as horse mackerel, blue whiting, and argentines.