asked the Minister for Lands whether he will review the position regarding the marketing of fish in this country with a view to obviating the necessity for excess transport and other costs which adversely affect the industry.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Marketing of Fish.
The examination of conditions in the fishing industry which I am making naturally extends to the problems of marketing. I am prepared to assist as far as lies in my power to obviate excess transport and other costs but must point out that fishermen and merchants may decide for themselves where and when to dispose of their fish. The gradual provision of depots, ice plants and quick-freeze plants should make bulk transport of fish a more commercially profitable proposition. Fishermen have already utilised transport co-operatively in some areas. Co-operative groups of fishermen should be able to bulk their deliveries and thereby be in a position to apply for favourable bulk transport rates from C.I.E. My Department will gladly give any help practicable.
Would the Minister not consider having a conference between his Department, the board and the fishermen? In West Cork, fish are dispatched to Dublin and returned to Cork City for consumption there. Excessive transport costs are bound to have a most adverse effect on the incomes of the fishermen. Is the Minister prepared to have such a conference? I believe that is the only way out of the difficulty.
The fishermen in many places exercise their own choice as to where they will sell their fish and in many cases they select Dublin as the point of sale. It is essential, too, in many cases that the fishermen combine in order to reduce transport costs, and that is the major factor and not the question of where they sell their fish.
The majority of the boats are owned by the board and the fishermen have to act on the directions they get from the board. They have no free choice.