Mr. Patrick Murphy:

I thank the Chair for the invitation to appear before the committee and give an outline of what is facing the Irish industry in 2026. As he said, our fleet will suffer huge losses next year in terms of opportunities and quotas. The Chair stated that mackerel was down 70%, but with his allowance I will outline some of the other quotas.

Haddock off Rockall is down 35%, haddock in the Irish Sea is down 30%, monk off Donegal is down 1.2%, monk in the Celtic Sea is down 3% and black pollock off Donegal is down 24%. Sole in the Irish sea is down 10.5%. Whiting in the Irish Sea comprises 200 tonnes, less than what we had under the bycatch provision. Plaice in the UK and English waters is down 56%. Sole in the same area is down 19.9%. Haddock in the Celtic Sea is now zero, adding to whiting and cod in the Celtic Sea. We have no advice on nephrops.

What is facing the Irish fleet in 2026 is a reduction in opportunities right across the sector. This comes on the back of stocks having been reduced year on year. We have a Common Fisheries Policy that bases itself on a maximum sustainable yield, MSY. That does not seem to be working because even though the MSY figures have been provided, stocks are still reducing. Rather than MSY, the figure keeps dropping which makes it virtually impossible for our members to keep making a viable living. Profits for the fleet are down by 82% according to a Bord Iascaigh Mhara, BIM, report. It is really serious and we in the Irish south and west are calling for help in any imaginative way possible.

I am going to leave it at that and let my colleague come in.