Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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I would like to have attended the committee before now. I want to give a statement on what we are doing in the inshore sector and provide a direct response to what we are doing on each of the sub-committee's recommendations. We took positive action on a majority of the recommendations. Some require consideration and I will provide background information on that. In the case of some recommendations, I do not have the power to do anything because it concerns a different Department or a decision has already been taken. I thank the members of the Joint Sub-committee on Fisheries for the opportunity to discuss the recommendations made in its recent document, "Report on Promoting Sustainable Rural Coastal and Island Communities", published in January.

The sub-committee produced an excellent report, which I have carefully examined. Many of the recommendations will be central to my own work in moving forward and dealing with the challenging issues facing rural coastal and island communities. I have given consideration to the recommendations in the report. The recent strategy which I launched for the inshore sector was significantly informed by the report and by discussions we have had on the sector. The report makes a total of 29 recommendations, many of which have been taken on board and are part of the work programme I have put in place. Others merit further consideration and some fall within the remit of other Departments and may warrant discussion with other Ministers.

In terms of ongoing, pre-existing work in my Department, I draw attention to a number of investment programmes. As part of the annual fishery harbour and coastal infrastructure programme, I allocated €3 million this year for local authority harbour development and marine leisure programmes. This funding facilitates investment to improve facilities in rural, coastal communities. A total of 13 coastal local authorities have been requested to provide additional details on specific projects submitted by them for consideration for funding. In 2013, 70 projects around the coast benefited from this programme. Earlier this year, as part of the Government’s co-ordinated response to the unprecedented damage caused by the winter storms, I announced €8.5 million in funding for a once-off programme to repair 115 publicly-owned piers, harbours and slipways damaged by these storms.

I have noted the committee’s recommendations on industry representation for the inshore, coastal fishing fleet. I also have been concerned for some time at the lack of formal representation for this part of the fishing industry to participate in fisheries management decision making. Inshore fishermen are more reliant on non-quota species such as lobster, crab and a range of bivalve shellfish, so the conversations on quota management with offshore fishing representatives do not address inshore challenges. For that reason, I announced last month the establishment of the National Inshore Fisheries Forum, NIFF, for the inshore fishing sector, built on a foundation of regional forums. The national forum will be representative of the under-12 m fishing fleet, that is, fishing boats of less than 12 m overall length. The focus will be on fisheries management within six nautical miles and facilitate two-way conversations on issues of mutual concern, industry priorities, emerging policies and initiatives. The national forum will be founded on a regional network of forums based on the FLAG, Fisheries Local Action Group, regions. This regional approach recognises that there are separate inshore needs in different regions around the coast due to variations in fishing seasons, stocks, and so forth and that one-size-fits-all models may not work well for inshore challenges. Each FLAG area has been asked to support the setting up of a regional inshore forum, RIF, to be representative of the local inshore fishing industry of its region. Financial assistance will be provided for out-of-pocket expenses to representatives on the forums. Each RIF will nominate two delegates to represent the region at the NIFF. RIFs can develop fisheries management initiatives relevant to their region and put them forward at the NIFF for wider industry consideration. Full terms of reference and guidelines for the forums are currently in preparation. I look forward to receiving proposals from the NIFF concerning inshore fisheries policies.

At the time I announced the forum structures, I also announced funding schemes relevant to inshore fishermen in coastal communities and the islands. These schemes are dedicated to supporting the inshore fisheries sector which, taken together, represent a package of €1 million and is in addition to the €600,000 in co-funding by the Government and the European Fisheries Fund available to the coastal and island communities through the FLAGs. The shellfish pot replacement scheme, administered by BIM, is providing 40% of the cost of replacing lost pots through fixed payments of €24 per lobster or crab pot and €12 per shrimp pot. Due to the limited uptake of the original scheme, I have extended it, more than doubling the pot limits from 50 to 200 for boats less than 12m length and from 100 to 250 for boats from 12m to 15m in length. Existing applicants to the current scheme will automatically be increased to the supplementary pot limits and a call for new applications is being advertised.

The new sustainable inshore fisheries scheme will provide funding for environmentally-friendly fishing gear and equipment and support for improvements in the areas of quality, hygiene and standards on board, which is a really important issue for the inshore fleet. Many inshore fishermen operate on boats that need an equipment upgrade and we want to be able to support them in that regard. In addition, the scheme will increase the grant aid for voluntary v-notching lobsters from the existing maximum of 55% to a new maximum of 75% to entice more fishermen to participate in this worthwhile conservation activity. We have also introduced a limit on the maximum size of lobster that can be caught because the bigger the lobster, the more it breeds. However, we will compensate fishermen to the tune of 75% for throwing back big lobsters, which amounts, more or less, to the full cost. This will encourage the breeding programmes which are necessary to start building up lobster stocks which are under undue pressure at the moment. We are also looking at pilot hatchery projects and expect the RIFs to bring forward proposals on same. We are willing to put money into such projects to make sure they work. I had a really interesting conversation with staff at the aquarium facility in Dingle a year ago about the potential of hatcheries, particularly for lobsters, and I want a proactive approach from the RIFs to develop such projects sooner rather than later.

Regarding aquaculture, I have noted carefully the recommendations made by the sub-committee. All applications for aquaculture licences are considered under the provisions of the 1997 Fisheries (Amendment) Act and the 1933 Foreshore Act. Decisions in individual cases are made only following the most rigorous assessment of the technical, scientific, environmental and public policy aspects of each application. I have noted the recommendation on the allocation of resources for the processing of aquaculture licenses and renewals. My Department, in conjunction with the Marine Institute and the National Parks and Wildlife Service, NPWS, of the Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, is engaged in a comprehensive programme to gather the necessary baseline data appropriate to the conservation objectives of Natura 2000 areas. This data collection programme is substantially complete. Analysis of the data, together with the setting of appropriate conservation objectives by the NPWS, will enable all new, renewal and review applications to be appropriately assessed for the purpose of ensuring compliance with the EU birds and habitats directives. The appropriate assessment process represents a significant financial, administrative and scientific investment by the State in resolving this issue. My Department continues to make every effort to expedite the determination of all aquaculture applications having regard to the complexities of each case and the need to comply fully with all national and EU legislation.

Regarding sea lice and the call by the sub-committee for the publication of the results of the Marine Institute’s inspections, the existing position is that Ireland’s sea lice control protocols are operated by the Marine Institute and involve regular inspections of marine fin fish sites by Marine Institute inspectors. These protocols are more advanced that those operated in other jurisdictions. The inspection regime is totally independent of the industry. Data obtained as a result of inspections is published and made widely available. Treatment trigger levels are set at a low level. Results of inspections are provided to the farm operators within five working days. Results are also reported to the Department and to other interested parties such as Inland Fisheries Ireland. Overall results and trends are published annually. The sub-committee's call for publication, therefore, is already catered for.