Today, in the fisheries committee, we had a very interesting meeting on the sustainable management of the crayfish fishery. The Marine Institute's latest four-year study on the tangle net crayfish fishery in Tralee and Dingle shows us with absolute clarity what is at stake if the crayfish fishery continues to operate as normal. The substantial by-catch of angel shark and flapper skate as well as grey skate and numbers of other protected species will push these species further towards extinction. It is not a hypothetical risk; that is what the data tells us. Angel sharks, a critically endangered species, simply cannot absorb additional mortality. If we allow the tangle net fishery to continue unchanged, we are effectively pushing this species closer not just to local extinction but actually to global extinction. While this issue is closely tied to tangle nets and inshore fisheries, it also sits within the wider quota context that frames every decision an inshore fisher makes today. We had a very good debate today on this issue, and inshore fishermen want to do what they can. They understand. They, probably more than anyone else, know the difficulties that the inshore environment is in at the moment, the challenges and the pressures that are put on it. It is clear from talking to those inshore fishers that what constantly happens is that when we do not get things right at a more national level, when we do not get things right at an EU level, when we have countries fishing for species that would traditionally be Irish quotas, it puts pressure on those fishermen, which in turn is like a domino effect, and it in turn impacts our inshore fishermen, who are the ones getting squeezed out of existence here. When we talk about the fishing industry, and if people were to close their eyes and picture it, it is the inshore fishermen we are talking about and that is what we see. It is where the majority of the boats are and where the majority of the local involvement and the employment happens. Unfortunately, they are bearing the brunt of an EU-wide system that just is not fit for purpose at the moment and they are absolutely being squeezed by it. The one thing I know from talking to them is that they want to be part of the solution, and they are putting forward solutions. What we need and they need is a fair share of the quota. We need to be looking at ways they can diversify. We know with mackerel being hit the inshore fishermen recognise that the chance of their getting a greater quota than 400 tonnes is probably off the table for a number of years. However, we need to start looking at other species. We have discussed bluefin tuna and I think there is a real opportunity with that. I know that this, again, is a difficult one because, as a small player on the EU stage, if we want to get a bluefin tuna quota we have to get it from another country. That will be really important. There has to be pressure, and we have to do everything we can diplomatically to get that because it is only through the diversification of the inshore that we will be able to address a lot of the environmental issues the inshore is facing. Inshore fishermen need alternatives and at the moment they do not have them. They are being pushed into crayfish and brown crab which has its own difficulties. That impacts our environment and means species like angelfish will be gone and we will be responsible for it. We are one of the few countries that still has this species. If we do not get this right, not only could we potentially force these species into extinction, but I also think we will be forcing the fishermen themselves into extinction. If you are putting all of your eggs into one basket and fishing solely for crayfish, that fishery is going to come under pressure. It may not be obvious now but there is only so much that any fishery can withstand. If all the effort is being put on one particular species, that is just not going to work. We need to have sustainable management of this. The fishermen are certainly on board to work with the Marine Institute, the Department, which was in today, and with the scientists to try to get that done. I ask that the Minister of State give as much support as possible to that. It will require finances. This is not going to be free. I know there is work under way on an income stabilisation scheme, which is really important, and I absolutely support the Minister of State in that. We need to make sure there is a financial safety net for fishermen. If we are trying to encourage people to move from tangle nets to pot fishery, pots cost approximately €100. That is expensive. It will require funding, but it will ultimately be for the greater good. I mentioned one thing in our most recent committee meeting. I do not know if it has really been discussed in the context of this, but €3.5 billion is being put aside for the climate and nature fund. That is a lot of money being set aside specifically for those issues. I ask that the Minister of State look into seeing whether there is a way to develop a programme for inshore fishermen using that fund whereby they can still participate in their fisheries but also perform more management functions and biodiversity protection and for that to come under a nature scheme. We obviously have the nature restoration laws coming down the road and there will be requirements on us from a marine perspective, but there is an opportunity there. There is money set aside in that fund. We tend to forget about it when it comes to biodiversity, but I absolutely think that is something the Minister of State should look into, and I ask that he do so. As I said, we need to ensure that the inshore fishermen are not pushed to the verge of extinction here, including our environment. I ask that he support that.

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