(Donegal South-West): While this increase in the borrowing power of BIM is vital to the industry now that the figure of £15 million is about to be surpassed, it will not cure the many serious ills, but it will help to alleviate some of the many problems facing the industry. This increase in borrowing power will give BIM a greater opportunity to invest more in boats in the form of grants and loans for fishermen, to enable them to purchase new and secondhand boats and to assist them in the conversion of the many boats which are almost obsolete. I expect an increase in investment in smaller boats such as half deckers which are vitally important in my constituency where we depend on salmon, lobster, white fish, crabs and the drift netting of herrings. Assistance may be needed to instal more modern equipment in some boats. Hopefully this will be forthcoming, subject to scrutiny by the Department and BIM.
I hope also that a greater degree of interest will be shown in the 50-foot to 60-foot range which, of necessity, are more versatile. I strongly advocate that substantial grants and loans should be made available from the extra moneys which are being provided, not only for the purchase of boats in the 60-foot to 85-foot range, but more importantly for the conversion of this range of 65 to 80-foot boats so that they could use them for another type of fishing. This other type of fishing is one to which the skippers are well accustomed but for which unfortunately at present their boats are not equipped. I am referring to the seineing method of fishing. These boats are at present equipped for trawling of herrings, white fish and mackerel when the mackerel are near our coast. Unfortunately at present they are sited a distance from our coast which means these boats are unable to catch them.
With the conservation measures implemented I would hope that stocks of herrings would return to their state of some years past when there were plenty to be found off our coasts. The herrings at present being landed are difficult to sell, this is because of cheaper imports from Canada and the supply of fresh herring fillets to the German market from Denmark. It is unfortunate that discussions have been taking place in Brussels prior to the Minister's appointment in regard to the licensing of the importation of something in the region of 80,000 to 84,000 tonnes of herring flaps or fillets duty free to the Continent. It is difficult to condone this practice while herring along our coast are being dumped. I am sure the Minister will investigate the problem and do his utmost to ensure that such quantity will not be imported into the European Continent during the coming year. One wonders whether continentals have a vested interest in fishing boats off the Canadian coast. One wonders also whether the Germans are using their muscle at the EEC table to ensure that they get these 80,000 to 84,000 tonnes. I am confident that the Minister, like his predecessors, will have this industry at heart and will do his utmost to ensure that such importation does not occur.
We must also examine the situation in order that the Danes are not allowed to have the same withdrawal prices as we have here. We must accept that we are on the periphery of Europe and must compete at the same withdrawal prices as the Danes and those in the South of England despite the fact that we are situated two sea crossings from the main continental markets. These are two expensive sea crossings rendering our products that much less competitive.
A common fisheries policy is vital but I wonder how serious are our European counterparts when they speak of a common fisheries policy and of working in harmony. I sincerely believe that it is not in the interests of our European counterparts to achieve a common fisheries policy in the near future. Later I hope to give my reasons for so saying and to suggest alternatives. I feel one should not take a negative approach and I shall be suggesting alternatives to be studied in the interim period.
I spoke earlier of boats between 65 and 80 feet and said they were almost obsolete. However, I believe steps can be taken to ensure that they will not become obsolete so that their skippers will not become bankrupt and there will be longer dole queues within this industry. If additional moneys are made available by way of grants and loans for the conversion of these boats — and here I emphasise their size of between 65 and 80 feet which do not have the power to catch the mackerel which constitute our main market at present — for sea net purposes, this would be most beneficial because this method is much less expensive and quite effective. This method also reduces oil expenses by half. For example, a 65-foot boat would use 1,000 gallons in a normal four-day week. This sea net method also is less expensive on gear and affords these white fishing boats an opportunity to fish grounds which could not be fished were they using trawl net gear. The usage of this type of net also lessens the risk of their being damaged. The conversion of this type of boat from trawl to trawl and seine — which will not be a complete conversion but one of a versatile nature so that they can be used for both trawling and seineing — would cost something in the region of £55,000 to £65,000. Boats at present almost obsolete would cost in the region of £350,000 to £500,000. Is it not realistic, therefore, to take the obvious plunge and invest a further £55,000 to £65,000 ensuring that boats are converted from a loss-making operation to a profit-making one.
I am not preaching doom or gloom but it is a fact that practically all fishermen would sell their boats in the 65 to 80 foot range at present if there was a market for them. For the reasons stated earlier there is no such market for them. I believe fishermen would not sell their boats were they presented with an attractive package of grants and loans for their conversion. I should add that I am not merely trying to make a strong case because I represent a constituency with a lot of fishermen. The fact is that these fishermen need this money. They are not beggars and would not have their boats tied up if they were able to make sufficient money to ensure that their crews and skippers made a reasonable income each week. Perhaps the Minister would assist these men by way of grants and loans not alone for reequipment but for gear as well because it can be very costly. If substantial loans and grants were made available for equipment with none for gear, in my view that would constitute a retrograde step. I believe such assistance would stimulate enthusiasm amongst skippers generally. I have no doubt also but that it would revitalise the white fishing industry.
I sincerely hope some grants and loans will be made available in the not too distant future bearing in mind that An Bord Iascaigh Mhara will soon have their increased borrowing powers. Speaking of the conversion of these white fishing boats from trawling to trawling and/or seining, perhaps it might be suggested that a study group should be established to examine the feasibility of a concentrated commercial fisheries. However, I suggest that such would not be necessary as the solution is abundantly clear, which I hope I have made reasonably clear to the House. I hazard the guess that by the time any such study group would have reached the recommendation stage it would be already a little too late. The problem must be tackled immediately and, if necessary, the board should recruit additional staff on a temporary basis to process these applications. There would not be very many applications but if extra staff were needed to expedite them they should be provided. Some may think that the changeover in the boats will create a problem in the processing of white fish as only a few of the major firms process white fish. This is because of the lack of continuity of supply. I have no doubt that regular and continuous landings will ensure that the processors will respond as they have done in the past. If the steps I have suggested are taken I am sure this continuity will be maintained. If the Department implement those steps, grants and loans could be made available at an early stage. I am sure that if the landings are regular there will be no problem with the marketing of the fish.
The conversion of the boats is one of the major problems facing the industry. I make a special plea to the Minister and to the Minister of State to study this matter as quickly as possible. I appreciate that the Minister of State has just been appointed to his post but I am sure he will ask his officials to give consideration to this matter as soon as possible.
We must not forget that the skippers of the larger boats got their training in the white fisheries grounds. The question must be asked where we will train the future skippers for our larger boats. If the conversion of the boats takes place we know that the training grounds that were used in the past by the skippers of today will continue to be used. I suggest that the grant should not be a direct handout but should be done over a phased period, say over four or five years. This would ensure an increase for the skippers and crews during the initial and possibly difficult transition period.
The 100 ft. to 135 ft. refrigerated seawater tank boats are the only profitable boats at the moment and they are involved in our mackerel landings. We must decide if further such boats are to be grant-aided. We should forge ahead with this size of boat and the 25 per cent grant that is available to successful applicants should be supplemented by FEOGA grants. We should exert pressure on the EEC to ensure that such grants are made available. I am of the opinion that such grants are not available for such boats, although I am open to contradiction on this point. These boats cost approximately £2 million and it is very difficult for skippers to obtain this kind of money. We should make a case to the EEC that FEOGA grants are essential.
Half-deckers or small boats are very numerous along the western seaboard and many families depend on them. In the past two years FEOGA grants have not been available for these vessels. One wonders if the EEC are interested only in the larger boats. I understand that grant applications are on file for many years and I ask the Minister to make a special case to the EEC so that the small boats may be considered for FEOGA grants. Many families depend on these half-deckers for their livelihood. The crews of such boats are as important as the crews of the larger boats.
At the moment there is an abundance of mackerel off our coasts and it is the most lucrative fishing in the EEC. It is unfortunate for us that we have such lucrative fishing grounds because they attract so many foreign boats. It is the only fishery ground in Europe that is attracting what we must call the sharks from Europe. Our major factories are dependent on mackerel and it is important that we protect our fisheries. This is a priority and an obligation on us. If the Germans, Danes, British and the Dutch are permitted to continue over-fishing, our stocks will be decimated and the death knell of the industry will be sounded in the not too distant future. It is only a few months ago since 27 Dutch boats of 200 ft. and over were off the Staggs of Broadhaven. They were not there to view the west coast of Ireland but to catch the maximum quantity of mackerel. It is estimated that 650,000 tonnes were taken from the fisheries during the past few years. That is a ridiculously high figure when we compare it with the total catch permitted by the EEC. The experts say that 650,000 tonnes is more than twice the total catch which should be taken from our fisheries if we want to sustain our stock of mackerel. Unfortunately this is the only and most lucrative mackerel fishery in Europe. It is the last remaining stock of pelagic fish in Europe and we have an obligation to ensure its preservation so that our fishermen will get a livelihood from it for decades to come.
When we consider the question of over-fishing we do not need to look further than the Celtic Sea and the south-west coast of England for examples of what can happen if that is permitted. They had lucrative mackerel fishing grounds but they were over-fished. If we allow foreigners to continue as they are doing we will be in the same position.