thus, especially rewarding to Ireland when the EC 

 Council of Ministers, in December 1992, reached 

 agreement on a revised Common Fisheries Policy 

 (CFP) which was favorable to the Irish; Ireland was 

 the only European nation to win concessions.' An 

 overview of the Irish fishing industry can be seen in 

 tables 1-3. 



2. Fleet Background 



The Irish fishing industry consists of about 1 ,200 

 small, low horse-power, inshore vessels. The high- 

 seas fleet began in 1976 when Irish fishing interests 

 purchased a 1,921-GRT vessel and a 1,110-GRT 

 vessel in 1977. These 2 high-seas vessels remained 

 in operation until 1980 when they were 

 decommissioned. In 1981, four smaller vessels 

 (averaging 566-GRT) were added to the fleet and this 

 number has since fluctuated slightly. The Irish, 

 under the EC's Multi- Annual Guidance Policy 

 (MAGP), has been required to reduce the size of 

 their fishing fleet. Irish fishermen and administrators 

 have loudly complained that these historical figures 

 have hurt Irish fisheries and called for more liberal 

 treatment in the future. Irish fishermen decided to 

 alter the situation by building new vessels that would 

 allow them to fish non-quota species (such as blue 

 whiting, argentines, and scad), as well as horse 

 mackerel, mackerel, and herring.^ They did this by 

 ordering the construction of large purse seiners and 

 stem trawlers from foreign shipyards. The Atlantic 

 Challenge was the first of several ultramodern ships 



■Vessels werSK-oRT • Tornagej 



Figure J. Ireland's high-seas fleet, 1975-92. 



that were delivered in 1986. The vessel reportedly 

 was financed entirely by Irish fishermen and was 

 designed to harvest non-quota species. The $11 

 million Western Endeavor, also financed entirely by 

 a Killybegs fisherman, followed in 1987. This was 

 followed by the arrival of the 4,034-GRT super 

 trawler Veronica and the 4,042-GRT Atlantean II. 

 These vessels were built in Swedish and Norwegian 

 shipyards* and were also designed to fish for non- 

 quota species. The arrival of these ultra- modem 

 vessel established Ireland as a major fishing power in 

 the North Sea It was reported that the BIM was 

 planning to spend $179 million for the development 

 of the Irish fisheries, including purchase of bigger 

 vessels in 1990.^ The Irish high-seas fleet included 8 

 vessels in 1992. 



3. Modernization Programs 



The BIM provids funds to fishermen as part of 

 the Marine Credit Plan and has done so since 1963.'° 

 In 1981, the Board approved 378 applications for 

 funding. In that year, a total of $29 million was 

 spent on the constmction of 10 vessels. The EC's 

 European Agricultural Guidance and Guarantee Fund 

 (FEOGA) also approved 14 projects for funding in 

 1981 . Since the inception of the FEOGA program a 

 total of 1 18 Irish vessels have received funding since 

 1981." Most of these funds appear to have been 

 spent on the constmction or modemization of vessels 

 under 500-GRT. In 1987, the EC brought into force 

 Regulation No. 4028/86 which established guidelines 

 for the constmction and modemization of EC fishing 

 fleets. The new regulation permitted the constmction 

 of larger fishing vessels than was the case in the past. 

 The BIM approved grants for the constmction of 22 

 new fishing vessels in 1990. The EC, under 

 Regulation No. 4028/86, was providing funding for 

 43 projects involving the constmction or 

 modemization of Irish fishing vessels.'- As in 

 previous years, the funds were used to build or 

 modernize fairly small fishing craft. The BIM 

 provided $4.0 million in grants and loan financing for 

 the constmction of 6 new vessels and modemization 

 of 96 old vessels during 1992." The EC also 

 contributed $1.9 million for fleet modemization 

 during 1992, but this was only half the amount 

 requested; no EC funds were made available for new 

 vessel constmction because of the decision by the EC 

 to temporarily cease new vessel grants until member 

 states began to decrease the size of their fleets.'" 



102 



