Minutes of Proceedings

The Chairman called the meeting to order in public session at 11.00.

1. The Outcome of the December Fisheries Council meeting

1.1. Meeting with representatives of the Anglo-North Irish Fish Producers' Organisation Ltd.

1.1.1. The Chairman welcomed Messrs McCulla, Chambers and Morris into the meeting.

1.1.2. Mr McCulla made a statement to the Committee after which he and his colleagues answered members' questions. Subjects covered included:

• ANIFPO's disappointment that the constructive and co-operative approach adopted by Northern Ireland fishermen, and the sacrifices this had entailed, had not resulted in an acceptable outcome, particularly in view of the scientific advice;

• ANIFPO's demand for an urgent and enhanced decommissioning scheme which should be introduced immediately and the numbers of vessels which could be decommissioned if £5-6m was available for the scheme;

• a need for financial assistance for those who wish to stay in the industry;

• a scheme brought in by the Republic of Ireland authorities under which fishermen would receive £500 per 'stage' for attending four stages of training and the introduction of subsidies by Irish, French, Dutch, Portuguese, and Spanish authorities;

• ANIFPO's belief that, while the Minister and her officials did the best job they could, they remained 'subservient' to the MAFF team which appeared to be incapable of negotiating a good deal (and the organisation's disappointment that the Minister's press release appeared to 'dress up' bad news as good); and

• the importance of the Commission's formal declaration regarding a reversal of the cut in Nephrops TAC and the urgency for action on this point.

1.1.3. The Chairman brought discussions to a close at 11.50.

1.2. Meeting with a representative of the Northern Ireland Fish Producers' Organisation Ltd.

1.2.1. The Chairman welcomed Mr Bryant-Brown into the meeting at 11.50.

1.2.2. Mr Bryant-Brown began by agreeing with most of what Mr McCulla had already told the Committee. He then made a number of points regarding individual fish stocks and answered members' questions. Among the issues covered were:

• the inconsistency in the Commission's ignoring scientific advice regarding a possible increase in the Cod TAC and the difficulties in managing a fishery where there was insufficient quota to last for a year;

• · the disparity between the scientific recommendation of a rollover in Plaice TAC and the Commission's proposals for cuts;

• the UK being disallowed from invoking the Hague Preference while the Republic of Ireland has done so; and

• the importance of proving that the Nephrops fishery will not cause a by-catch of cod and securing a reversal of the 10% cut in TAC urgently (including an appeal for help from the Department to make that case).

1.2.3. The Chairman brought discussions to a close at 12.10

1.3. Meeting with DARD officials

1.3.1. The Chairman welcomed Mrs Cummins and Mr Prentice into the meeting at 12.10.

1.3.2. In response to the Chairman's request for a statement on the proposed decommissioning scheme Mr Prentice outlined the range of measures proposed within the Fisheries section of the Transitional Objective 1 Programme for EU Structural Funds. These included decommissioning, support for new vessels, modernisation of the fleet, support for the processing sector, promotion and support to the NI Fisheries Harbour Authority.

1.3.3. EU approval for the overall Structural Funds package was expected in the near future and approximately £18m had been sought for the Fisheries Measures, of which a total of around £6m was earmarked for a decommissioning scheme. It would not be possible to increase the amount for a decommissioning scheme in view of the other proposed measures.

1.3.4. Mr Prentice reminded the Committee that the overall plan was still subject to approval and that the necessary public expenditure allocation would be required to implement the plans. However, he stated that the Fisheries Council decisions had furthered the business case for a decommissioning scheme.

1.3.5. In response to a question from the Chair, Mrs Cummins estimated that it would take 4-5 months to implement a decommissioning scheme. In response to a member's question Mrs Cummins advised that Northern Ireland had autonomy to develop its own decommissioning proposals.

1.3.6. Mrs Cummins stated that DARD was "looking with interest" at the ROI training scheme and its content but reminded the Committee that the only resources available to DARD would be those secured under the EU Structural Funds plan.

1.3.7. Mrs Cummins assured the Committee that the Department was pursuing the information that would be required to enable the reversal in the 10% cut in Nephrops TAC but that DARD was not yet clear of the precise information sought by the Commission. She further advised that Northern Ireland's case would have to be made through MAFF.

Mr Ford left the meeting at 12.40.

1.3.8. The Chairman brought discussions to a close at 12.40 at which time the officials left the meeting.

1.4. Committee deliberation

1.4.1. Members agreed that the fishing industry faced a catastrophe.

1.4.2. Resolved: that the Committee was unanimous in its demand for immediate action from the Department in terms of the introduction of a decommissioning scheme and in securing the reversal of the 10% cut in Nephrops TAC.

Mr Paisley Jnr. left the meeting at 12.45.

2. Chairman's Business

2.1. The Chairman read out a letter which he had received from the Minister in which she voiced her concern at the practice of notes being passed from the public seating area to the Chairman (through the Clerk) during discussions between the Committee and the Minister.

2.2. The Clerk advised members that he was aware of nothing in Standing Orders to preclude such a practice, nor was there specific reference to it in Erskine May.

2.3. The Committee deliberated.

2.4. Resolved: that information from advisers in the public seating area might be useful to the Chairman and other members in ensuring that the most appropriate questions were asked and answers received. Any such information would result in a question made on the Chairman's or member's own authority and they were entitled to put any question to the Minister as they saw fit. Responses could be provided later in written form if the Minister felt unprepared to address them immediately. While the Committee would not envisage this becoming a regular practice, members saw no reason to alter it.

3. Date of Next Meeting

3.1. Resolved: that the next meeting of the Committee would be DARD's invitation to meet with the Vision Group on Tuesday 9 January, together with a regular Committee meeting on Friday 12 January 2001.

The Chairman brought the meeting to a close at 12.50.