Ms Anna O'Sullivan:

On the north west herring fishery, there was a policy set down in 2012 that provided for an open fishery for the smaller vessels. Some 5% of the quota would be set aside for vessels under 20 m in length that did not have a qualifying track record in the fishery. Unfortunately, because of the vulnerable state of the stock between 2016 and 2022, the total allowable catches that were set were for a scientific monitoring fishery only. During this time, the 2012 herring policy was set aside and for vessels under 12 m that were not part of the ring-fenced group there were opportunities given to collect data samples in order to assess the state of the stock. Basically, authorisations were issued for those vessels in three different categories and a booking-in process and lottery were required if the number of applicants was more than the opportunities there.

In 2022 there was a request received by the Minister from the chairs of the national inshore fisheries forum and the north regional inshore fisheries forum regarding the north west herring fishery and to have the opportunity to put a management plan in place. In 2023 and again in 2024, ICES advised the stock could once again be managed as a commercial fishery. The TAC levels still have not returned to the levels they were at when the original policy was set down. When the 2012 policy was set down, it was expected Ireland would have a reasonable quota available to it, as had been the case in the years prior to that. The Minister decided in 2023 there were sufficiently changed circumstances to justify a review of the 2012 policy in relation to the quantity of herring set aside for the inshore fleet and launched a public consultation in February of that year. On the basis of the submissions received and analysis of them the Minister made a decision for a partial modification of the 2012 policy that when Ireland's quota for north west herring was less than 7,000 tonnes the 2012 herring policy will be modified and a set quantity of herring would be made available for non-ring-fenced vessels at a level of 350 tonnes. Last year it operated as an open fishery in the autumn and the level in that open fishery was exceeded, with 428 tonnes being landed in the end. For this year, in order to be able to open the fishery in a timely manner and to be able to manage it sustainably, the Minister's decision was to use a system similar to what was in place for the scientific fishery. This would involve the three categories of vessels and a number of opportunities within each that would require booking in and authorisations. The Minister's decision was based on managing the fishery as sustainably as possible and giving as many opportunities to people as possible and to allow the fishery to operate in a sustainable way so the stock can rebuild and be of use to everyone.

The Deputy is absolutely right that the ideal thing is for everybody involved in this to co-operate and work to build the fishery. That is something the Minister has addressed by establishing the north west herring advisory committee. Unfortunately, not all the parties have been able to agree on issues there, but the Minister has asked that all parties re-engage within that framework to be able to come forward with recommendations on how the fishery can operate, optimum opening and closing times, dealing with unwanted bycatch and issues like that which will allow the fishery to operate sustainably into the future.