Minister confirms no payouts for fishing tie-up

Fisheries Minister, Lord Rooker, has confirmed that there will be no compensation payments made to fishermen during the 2006 tie-up period.

The Minister announced his decision following recent calls to pay compensation to NI fishing vessels during the closure of the Irish Sea to whitefish for three months this year.

The Minister said: "I appreciate that fishermen are frustrated by the controls on severely reduced fishing opportunities in the Irish Sea. However, having considered the options and taken account of questions of affordability, value for money and sustainability, I cannot approve payments which last year ranged from £40,000-£70,000 per vessel, to the owners of whitefish vessels in the Northern Ireland fleet.

"Continuation of payments on such a scale, benefiting only a small number of individuals, cannot be justified in the current climate of competing resource pressures, and could result in less money for urgent projects like infrastructure improvements at Northern Ireland fishing ports."

The Minister pointed out that the DARD had paid out £16 million in grants under the Fisheries Measure of the Building Sustainable Prosperity Programme. While the South Down Fishing Taskforce has drawn in over £6 million in new money from the Integrated Development Fund for investment in the Northern Ireland fishing industry and fishery dependent communities.

He said: "These funding provisions highlight the Government's commitment to the fishing industry here, and to the local communities in which they are based."

It is estimated that around 100 fishermen will be affected by the decision, which has been condemned by fish producers as a display of contempt for the local industry.

DUP MEP Jim Allister called on Lord Rooker to resign. Mr Allister said: "If Tie Up Aid was justified in 2004 and 2005, and it was, then it is equally justified in 2006."

He queried if the NIO was "again playing politics" by what he said was "punitive direct rule to try and lever us into an unacceptable form of devolution."

(SP)