Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine (Deputy Charlie McConalogue)I welcome this opportunity to present the sustainability impact assessment, SIA, of fishing opportunities for 2025 to the committee. I am joined by Dr. Emmet Jackson, Dr. Ciaran Kelly, Ms Sinéad McSherry, Ms Anna O'Sullivan and Ms Michelle Twomey.

As in previous years, a thorough assessment has been undertaken to examine the implications for Ireland of the potential fishing opportunities for the coming year. The SIA is an essential step in Ireland’s preparation for the negotiations on setting total allowable catches, TAC.

As has been the case for the last number of years, scientific advice from the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea, ICES, has been used as the basis for the SIA. This allows for input from stakeholders, analysis by Bord Iascaigh Mhara, BIM, and the Marine Institute and the views of the Oireachtas in time for the start of the TAC-setting process. Approximately 40 of Ireland’s fish stocks, which were previously exclusively EU resources, are now shared resources, most shared with the UK. The Commission has the sole competence to negotiate with third countries, including the UK, on behalf of the EU on the setting of fishing opportunities for shared stocks. The bilateral negotiations between the Commission, on behalf of the EU, and the UK will begin on 5 November, and I will go into more detail on these consultations in a moment.

The waters surrounding Ireland contain some of the most productive fishing grounds in the EU and they must be managed responsibly and sustainably. It is important to recognise the continued efforts and commitment of our fishers in this regard. While we are seeing progress in terms of the overall trend of improvements in the sustainability of fish stocks, a number of important stocks are still in a vulnerable state.

Regarding the EU-UK consultation, which I mentioned earlier, the bilateral consultations with the UK for 2025 for shared stocks will begin on 5 November. The SIA process and the committee's input will help to develop Ireland’s position during these upcoming negotiations. My team and I will be fully engaged at EU level to ensure that Ireland’s interests are recognised and pursued with the Commission negotiating team. We are hopeful that agreement can be reached in time to allow the outcome to be discussed at the EU Agriculture and Fisheries Council on 9 and 10 December and feed into the TAC and quota regulation for 2025. If an EU-UK agreement is not secured, there is provision under the trade and co-operation agreement to set provisional TACs applying from 1 January. While this situation is not ideal, if needed it provides certainty and continuity for our fishing industry in the new year.

With regard to coastal states, the management arrangements for three migratory species in the north-east Atlantic in which Ireland has an interest - blue whiting, atlanto-scandian herring and mackerel - are negotiated by means of a coastal states' framework between the parties in whose waters significant concentrations of these stocks are to be found and who have normally had a track record in the fishery. There are currently no international sharing arrangements in place for these three coastal state stocks. Discussions among the coastal state parties on new sharing arrangements have been continuing throughout 2024, with the most recent round in September. I have been clear on the need to agree on sharing arrangements that respect the proper share of the EU, and in turn Ireland, of the global TAC for these stocks. The coastal states' consultations on setting the 2025 TACs began yesterday; starting with blue whiting and continuing until October 22, covering atlanto-scandian herring and mackerel. In a worrying development, ICES has advised a 22% reduction in the mackerel TAC for 2025.

I have consistently articulated my serious concerns regarding the actions of coastal states such as Norway, the Faroe Islands and Iceland in setting unsustainable, unilateral quotas for mackerel. We are now seeing the inevitable outcome of those actions. At the EU Agriculture and Fisheries Council I have repeatedly highlighted the need for the EU to adopt a strong position to protect our shared stocks and to use all available tools so that there are real and effective consequences for such unacceptable behaviour.