Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

The behaviour by members of the coastal states structure has been disgraceful, setting unilateral targets which in no way resemble the capacity of the stock to be fished. Some are setting massively high stocks, saying they are going to fish them and going off and trying to do that. They are not coming to an agreement, which is about sustainably managing the stock. For example, mackerel spawns off the south-west coast of Ireland, travels all the way north to Norway and then travels back. Therefore, it goes through lots of different member states' waters so they all have to come together to agree how it is fished, if it is to be fished sustainably. They all have to agree but they have not been agreeing. Some have been basically putting their arm in and trying to set their own total allowable catch, TAC. That is completely unacceptable and I have been very strong in calling it out as have other ministers in the EU. It is also completely unsustainable. I might ask Dr. Beamish to give a bit more of a flavour in terms of how the issue has been evolving and where it is at.