Holly Cairns (Cork South West, Social Democrats)
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115. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine whether his Department has considered the introduction of a support scheme for fishers operating small boats who are struggling due to increased fuel prices; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41794/23]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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The small-scale fleet is an integral part of the overall Irish fishing fleet representing the majority of registered vessels and over half of all employment in the sector. The fleet is distributed all around the island with vessels registered in over 400 towns and villages, with over 300 small-scale fishing vessels registered in each of the counties Donegal, Cork and Galway, over 200 each in Kerry and Mayo with significant numbers in Wexford, Waterford, Dublin and Louth.

I am cognisant of the need for ongoing support and development of the inshore sector.

Under the Brexit Adjustment Reserve Fund, the Brexit Inshore Fisheries Business Model Adjustment Scheme 2022 operated over January to March and was availed of by 771 inshore fishing vessel owners at a cost of €2.5 million. The Brexit Inshore Fisheries Business Model Adjustment Scheme 2023 provides €3.5 million in direct supports to Inshore fishers. Payments under the scheme, which range from €2,700 to €4,000 per eligible fisher, are accompanied by training modules which will help fishers to adapt their operations to reduce costs, improve product quality and reach new customers.

That scheme is part of a wider package of supports and development strategies which includes investments in marketing and promotion of inshore stocks, development of marine infrastructure and investing in all elements of the seafood supply chain, providing new and growing avenues for inshore catch.

Beyond this, my Department’s European Maritime, Fisheries and Aquaculture Fund (EMFAF) Seafood Development Programme is commencing its implementation. The €258 million programme will provide a wide range of supports for fishers and the wider development of the seafood sector. Inshore representatives form part of the monitoring committee for this programme and will have opportunity to input into the development of schemes to support the sector. This programme will also provide for ongoing support of the Producer Organisations which will help the Inshore sector to develop further.

Holly Cairns (Cork South West, Social Democrats)
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116. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he can detail any work ongoing in his Department in relation to transitioning fishers from fossil fuels towards electric engines. [41796/23]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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The energy transition of the Irish fishing fleet is important in terms of responding to climate change, reducing dependence on fossil fuels and facilitating the fleet in becoming more sustainable in both environmental and economic terms.

The development of electric or renewable propulsion for fishing vessels is in its infancy and faces significant barriers to development. While longer term possibilities of substitution of fossil fuels are being explored, I am taking immediate action through supporting the improvement of energy efficiency for the Irish fleet. Under my Department’s EMFAF Seafood Development Programme 2021-2027, actions have been included to improve energy efficiency and reduce carbon emissions in the Irish Fleet. This will be supported through making funding available for the replacement or modernisation of vessel engines and supporting the adoption of more fuel-efficient fishing gears on board fishing vessels. Outside of direct supports, funding is also made available for research in the area of reducing carbon emissions.

Beyond fleet development, the Climate Action Plan 2023 contains two specific actions on this issue for my Department to develop a roadmap for the efficient upgrading of existing infrastructure within the Fishery Harbour Centres and to reduce fossil fuel dependency/consumption across Fishery Harbour Centre infrastructure.

The Fishery Harbours and Coastal Infrastructure Development Programme for 2023 includes projects to upgrade existing lighting and heating systems in Fishery Harbour Centres. This includes €450,000 for Energy Saving Measures in Killybegs and €100,000 for similar works in Castletownbere. The provision of improved electrical shore power is expected to further reduce the consumption of fossil fuels by fishing vessels within the Fishery Harbour Centres. A key investment already in situ is the ‘Cold Ironing’ project at Killybegs which was part funded by the Irish Government and EMFF Seafood Development Programme at a cost of €1.7 million. That project is expected to save up to 2,000 tonnes of CO2 emissions per year and puts Killybegs at the forefront of having such technology.

Holly Cairns (Cork South West, Social Democrats)
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117. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if his Department would consider the introduction of a young fishers scheme, similar to the young farmers scheme; to detail what financial supports are available for new entrants to the fishing sector; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41797/23]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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The Seafood Development Programme implemented by my Department and funded under the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund (EMFF) provided significant funding toward the sustainable development of fisheries. Among the schemes developed under the EMFF programme was the New Fishermen Scheme, which was implemented by an Bord Iascaigh Mhara.

Open to young fishers (under 40 years of age) to establish themselves in the fishing industry by aiding the acquisition cost of their first fishing vessel, the scheme provided grant funding for the purchase of their first vessel, covering up to 25% of the cost of a vessel to a maximum of €75,000.

Approximately €1.15 million was provided in grant funding under this scheme to support 24 new fishers.

While the EMFF programme is in the process of closing, in December 2022 I announced the adoption of a new Seafood Development Programme under the European, Maritime, Fisheries and Aquaculture Fund (EMFAF).

The EMFAF Operational Programme makes provision for the development of a similar scheme, with a similar allocation in funding, and work has begun on the development of implementation plans under this Programme.

Holly Cairns (Cork South West, Social Democrats)
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118. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if his Department will work to provide access to fishing quotas to small boat and new entrant fishers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41798/23]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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As the Deputy will be aware, in Ireland, fishing quota is a public resource and is managed to provide for proper management and conservation and rational exploitation of the State’s fishing quotas. It is managed as a public good that ensures that property rights are not granted to individual operators. The result of this long-standing policy is that the Irish fishing fleet involves a balanced spread of sizes and types of fishing vessels who have retained a strong economic link with our coastal communities and have delivered economic activity including vital employment in these communities, where there are very limited alternative economic activities.

Our fish quota management system is designed to ensure the best possible spread both between fishing vessel operators and in terms of take up of quota throughout the year having regard to fishing patterns and market conditions. Many of the key inshore stocks on which the smaller fishing vessels rely are not limited by quota arrangements, for instance lobster and crab. Crab is subject to fishing effort limits (days at sea) set at EU level.

Whitefish quotas are generally managed on a monthly basis and are not based on catch record. The Minister sets down catch limits for each quota stock following monthly consultation with the Quota Management Advisory Committee (QMAC) involving fishing industry representatives, including several inshore representatives. The monthly catch limits applicable to whitefish stocks are dependent on the overall length of the vessel (the catch limit of a vessel which is over 55 feet (16.764m) in length overall, is usually double that of a vessel which is under 55 feet (16.764m) overall). For the month of September, all vessels, regardless of size, have access to a catch limit of 15 tonnes of Pollack in Area 7 and 30 tonnes of Spurdog (Spurdog is a new fishery for 2023).

There are a number of pelagic stocks which are managed on the basis of the Minister’s policy for each stock. The policy for each stock was developed based on divergent criteria taking account of specific circumstances. There are a number of opportunities for vessels to target pelagic stocks which are open only to smaller fishing vessels and not based on catch record. For example, a boat of less than 18m overall length without a mackerel authorisation may avail of the catch limits for mackerel set down in the monthly Fisheries Management Notice for mackerel. The monthly catch limit is recommended by the Quota Management Advisory Committee and is usually set at 5 tonnes. A boat of less than 15m overall length fishing for mackerel by means of hooks and lines may avail of a monthly catch limit set down in a monthly Fisheries Management Notice for mackerel. The catch limit for September is 10 tonnes.

I also recently approved a modification, for 2023 and future years, to existing herring policy where Ireland’s North-West Herring quota (in Area 6a South & 7bc) in the Total Allowable Catch (TAC) and Quota Regulation is less than 7,000 tonnes. In this scenario, the 2012 Herring Policy will be modified, and a set quantity of herring will be made available for vessels less than 20 metres in length overall, without track record, at a level of 350 tonnes; of which, 95% will be allocated to vessels less than 15 metres in length overall.

The Irish Sea Herring fishery has also recently opened for vessels of overall length less than 27.43m/90ft. Nine vessels were selected to participate, four of which are less than 40.

For Herring in the Celtic Sea, a scientific quota for data collection of 750t has been set for 2023. 25% of this quota is set aside for an open fishery which is open to boats <17m in length overall, with fishing confined to the "Dunmore Box" in the south east. This fishery usually operates from November to the end of the year. Interested vessels are required to book in to the fishery in order to receive and authorisation and catch limit.

Under the Seafood Development Programme, my Department with the support of Bord Iascaigh Mhara, provided a wide range of funding, training and advisory services aimed at educating small vessel owners and young fishers. Several schemes were implemented, which included, Seafood Training, Young Fishermen and Sustainable Fisheries.

The New Fishermen Scheme, which was implemented by BIM, provided grant funding for those fishers who were purchasing their first vessel, covering up to 25% of the cost of a vessel up to a maximum of €75,000. Under the EMFF programme, approximately €1.15 million in funding was provided to assist young 24 young fishers with acquisition of their first vessel.

While the EMFF programme is in the process of closing in December 2023, in December 2022, I announced the adoption of a new Seafood Development Programme under the European, Maritime, Fisheries and Aquaculture Fund (EMFAF). The EMFAF Operational Programme makes provision for the development of a similar schemes, with similar allocations in funding, and work has begun on the development of implementation plans under this Programme.