I warn the Minister of impending loss of life at sea, if he does not consider the request I make tonight and the request that has been communicated to him by the Commercial Salmon Fishermen's Association and the Irish Salmon Fishermen's Association for the introduction of safety days during the salmon fishing season of June and July. Safety days for salmon fishermen is practised in other restricted fisheries along the American and Canadian coastline and is working well to the benefit of salmon fishermen in that part of the Atlantic Ocean. Safety days are allowed at the end of the season to compensate for the days lost as a result of weather conditions which prohibit fishing vessels going to sea. They are of vital importance in protecting the lives of fishermen in small craft.
In 1990, the Department of the Marine reduced the length of the salmon fishing season from 85 days to 32 days. The wild salmon fishing season is now confined to the months of June and July compared to March to July, inclusive, under the old regulations that pertained prior to 1990. In terms of workable hours, the reduction is from 1,920 hours in 1990 to 384 in 2001 – a reduction of 80% in the fishing period for wild salmon along the Irish seaboard.
The Cork Commercial Salmon Fishermen's Organisation has warned of the possible consequences of the current policy. It is becoming extremely difficult for the commercial salmon fishermen to survive on 20% of the season they originally had when one allows for engine breakdowns, bad weather, etc. Unfortunately, this shortfall in the salmon season is forcing fishermen to go to sea in dangerous weather conditions which will, undoubtedly, result in a fatal tragedy sooner rather than later.
I am sure the Minister is aware that the majority of craft engaged in salmon fishing range from 16 foot open punt boats to 30 foot half deck fishing boats. Salmon fishermen, due to the short season, have no option but to go to sea to make a living even when they realise there is a real danger to themselves, their crews and their craft.
With the incoming introduction of the new log book and tagging scheme for salmon boats, it would be quite feasible for the Minister to introduce the concept of safety days as this could be noted in the log book of each salmon fishing craft. If steps are not taken by the Minister's Department to immediately introduce safety days at the end of each salmon fishing season, disaster could occur to the people operating same. In the event of a tragedy, God forbid, the blame will lie fairly and squarely at the feet of the Minister for the Marine and Natural Resources and his Department who now have the power to rectify this problem. I urge the Minister to act on my request before it is too late. I hope he will treat my request on behalf of the Irish salmon fishermen operating around our coastline favourably and introduce the safety days policy into the salmon fishing period forthwith.
I am sorry the Minister for the Marine and Natural Resource or the junior Minister is not here tonight. However, I know the Minister of State, Deputy Coughlan, is a very good represen tative for them. She comes from a good fishing constituency and county, Donegal, which is similar to my constituency of South West Cork and Counties Cork and Kerry. I know only too well that she realises the potential danger facing those salmon fishermen in their small crafts being tossed about in the wild Atlantic Ocean when trying to make a living out of salmon fishing which is seriously restricted at the moment.