Ms Sin?ad McSherry:

The first issue I will deal with is the bluefin tuna. The Deputy is aware that bluefin obviously is a highly migratory stock that spawns in the Mediterranean and migrates all over the North-East Atlantic. Ireland does not have a national quota for bluefin tuna. The only way that we will obtain a share of the EU quota, is to change the relative stability key within the EU. Again, as the Deputy has heard at this committee before, that would require a majority of member states to agree under the qualified majority voting system. In terms of the by-catch quota that we have, a small amount of by-catch is available to Ireland and that is for use in our very important northern albacore tuna fishery and the Celtic Sea herring fishery. Again, this is because Bluefin tuna can be a by-catch in those areas. The issue for Ireland and the issue the Minister has addressed consistently with the EU is to look for a reopening of that relative stability key. It is important to note that within the EU, if quota is to be given to Ireland for bluefin tuna, it must come away from another member state. These decisions are made by qualified majority voting. However, the Minister has repeatedly called for a reopening of that stock in recent years. It will be challenging to try to secure that. I refer to one thing Ireland has been able to do.

In 2018, we secured agreement that allowed countries without a commercial quota to set up a catch, tag and release fishery. That can contribute to some of the collection of scientific data that may feed into future considerations. In respect of bluefin tuna, the Department feels there is a case to reopen the relative stability key. However, that is an ongoing piece of work by the Minister. That is the update on that issue at this point.

As for stocks covered by the proposals the Department is here to speak to today for the inshore sector, pollock is the one of significant interest and of concern to it. The key difference this year is that Ireland has a by-catch-only TAC for pollock in areas VI and VII which will impact on the fishing fleet in general and on the inshore sector. It is important to note that this came about on foot of the introduction of some scientific advice by the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea, ICES, and that is the basis on which the Commission takes its fisheries advice. The Marine Institute addressed that specifically when the Minister was before this committee for the social impact assessment, SIA, in October. However, if the Deputy seeks further information on that piece of advice and how it has impacted on the TAC for pollock in areas VI and VII, the Department can send this back to the committee through the Chair.

I am trying to recall the Deputy's questions. We talked about bluefin tuna and pollock. On the exploratory discussions that are ongoing between member states in respect of any discussions with Iceland, the Deputy will be aware that the EU holds the competence for all third-party negotiations between the EU and other third countries. To be clear, Ireland does not negotiate directly with Iceland. The Minister has regularly informed all stakeholders that there have been exploratory discussions at EU level. There has been no agreement and no decision has been taken but I will say that the Minister has taken a strong line in protecting Ireland's interests. When the Minister makes a decision on the policy that he will take, that will be a matter for the Minister at that point. However, there has been no agreement at this point.