Dr. Peter Heffernan:

I will take a couple of the linked questions and will leave the fisheries-specific ones to Dr. Connolly. Senator Mulherin asked about targets for the integrated marine plan for Ireland and the relative future-proofing of those. Deputy Pringle asked about the balance of the ocean. The ocean is the sink for 25% of the carbon produced on the planet. The balance is very much absorption, with the oceans negating for the land and people on land. In general, the two things that are crucial to the state of the ocean with regard to climate are the gas exchange between the ocean and the atmosphere, and the sinking of carbon and delivery of oxygen for us all.

All water on the planet returns to the ocean. That is the reservoir. There is a Chinese proverb that says all water is on a journey back to the sea. Water quality in all its facets is very important to the health of the ocean system and all of its ecosystem. I refer to the enhanced focus on the Water Framework Directive and its marine counterpart, the marine strategy framework directive. They touch on every aspect of dealing with water, all emissions, all water arriving into the ocean and the quality of water waste treatment. They are very important factors for the ocean in receiving the water back and society needs to bear them in mind.

On the question about moving forward in the achievement of the €6.4 billion target, while it is tangential to the committee's focus on agriculture and the marine, one of Ireland's greatest assets that is very much part of our future is the fact that we have the largest combined renewable energy asset given to any nation on this planet, between the combination of offshore wind, tidal and wave. I have often heard it described as Ireland's oil for a future world. It is not only carbon neutral but it would have enormous potential for substitution of what are primarily carbon sources of energy in the modern economy. Wind is the closest to market. Tidal is next, and the next in sequence is wave. Ireland has an integrated investment portfolio of infrastructure between the Science Foundation Ireland centre of excellence in University College Cork with world-class wave tanks, the one-quarter scale wave energy test site in Galway Bay that has a scientific observation cable, and then plans for a full-scale device centre off Belmullet. That is one of the greatest economic opportunities for Ireland in the short, medium and long term. It would have a very significant contribution to energy balances.

There were questions about the relationship of the ocean to a number of sectors. The ocean is central to a fast-growing area of Irish tourism and activity-based leisure. This is working off the brand of the Wild Atlantic Way, literally from the south to the north of the country. The ability to provide more detailed information on ocean conditions on app-based deliveries offers potential to increase tourism revenue. Activity-based tourism is a very low-carbon footprint type of tourism.

Another very valuable asset is wild salmon from an angling perspective. A facility in Newport, County Mayo is one of the global indicators sites for how well salmon are doing and what populations are returning. It is a species at its southern limit in natural distribution so it is really important that the data in respect of a long-term trend of over 50 years are available to help mitigate and plan for the future.

Another emerging area of the ocean economy is the use of marine based molecules and materials from the deep ocean for functional foods and for providing significant added value to food production. They are also used in pharma and medtech, and in emerging and new sensor technologies to develop nature-inspired design materials that go on sensors. While it is the smallest element of the overall mix of the ocean economy, it is the fastest growing component, with new and emerging sectors measured from 2010 onwards. That augurs well for the future and will help, to a large extent, in carbon-proofing the growth areas.

In marine fisheries, the scale of effort is going in the direction of increasing efficiency, while the quantum of natural resources that is going to be available will not see an expansion or an explosion in the activity of fishing. The whole effort is towards extracting greater value and ensuring sustainability. My colleague, Dr. Connolly can talk about emerging opportunities.

Finally, while I would not be competent to talk on the more detailed aspects of land use and agri-practices, there are others present who would be.

I can give two examples of how understanding the ocean can benefit us in dealing with the challenge of climate change, as well as other challenges. As the Atlantic Ocean dominates our weather experience and our climate, the earlier we get a depth of understanding of what that is delivering to us, the greater the benefit for Ireland. I am talking in the medium term of being able to predict conditions in the next season and the years such as the general growth conditions that are likely coupled with the weather forecasting. As we go into a period of more and more precision in agriculture and aquaculture and satellite-linked practices, it is not unreasonable to think that we will be able to forecast and predict that for a season ahead. Certainly that would give us an enormous ability to plan, mitigate and reduce.

In addition, recent research points to the potential - I stress that it is the potential - of significant methane reduction by the integration of marine plant materials, seaweeds into the diet of cattle and other bovines. That is a potential and other experts who will appear before the committee may be able to address it in detail.

Chairman, I have dealt with the questions from Deputy Pringle and Senator Mulherin and my colleague Dr. Connolly will answer the fisheries questions.