madam president it is vitally important that fishermen have work conditions that are reasonable as safe as a high-risk occupation like fishing can be and that offer a decent return that allows fishermen and women to support themselves and their families
the financial return also needs to be a stable and reliable base for maintaining our coastal communities
as it happens the coastal communities in my constituency are finding it very difficult to survive
the question for me in this debate is whether ratification of convention one hundred and eighty-eight of the international labour organisation thereby extending the regulation and policy to those who work in fishing will be a promotion and a protection to fishermen or an obstacle and whether or not it can achieve the global level playing field that our fishing industry needs to survive
a kenyan delegation told me of a japanese factory ship that harvests their waters and those of their neighbours
what conditions do those working in that factory ship experience
from what i was told i suspect they were not good
what i do know is that the fish caught do not benefit the people of africa even though they are from their territorial waters
when that fish is sold on the international market they are not sold at prices that europe especially ireland can match
fishermen out of work in ireland are denied social welfare payments and this creates great hardship
therefore if ratification will achieve a significant decrease in fishing fatalities ensure social security benefits for fishermen and social benefits like medical care and the dole then i welcome it and encourage its ratification
if it further promotes fishing as a viable industry for the small and medium operator especially family-owned fishing boats then i certainly can support it because as it is fishing is dangerous and in many parts of the world exploitive not just of fish but also of people
can it and will it
i hope so
