Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)

For centuries, the herring stock in the Celtic Sea, centred around the Dunmore East area, has been a key stock which has reliably supported the fishing industry in the area. In the autumn of each year, many seasonal jobs are created both at sea and onshore in the local fish processing companies. Under the Common Fisheries Policy, 86% of this stock is ring-fenced for Irish vessels. Over the years, the size of the stock has gone through peaks and troughs, with a collapse in the stock in the 1970s and again in the 1990s.

In 2005, the Minister of the day constituted a management committee, the Celtic Sea herring management advisory committee, the role of which is to advise the Minister on the management arrangements for the stock, as outlined by the Deputy. The committee was established on an informal basis, that is, the Minister decided to establish the committee and issued letters to relevant organisations asking them to nominate persons to the committee. The committee comprises representatives of the industry and processors and is chaired by the Irish South and West Fish Producers Organisation. The Department is not represented on the committee, nor is any other State agency. However, the Marine Institute advises the committee from time to time on scientific issues relating to the stock.

The committee, together with the Marine Institute, developed a rebuilding plan for the stock in 2007. This rebuilding plan was submitted to the European Commission by the Minister and informs the total overall catch for the stock. The rebuilding plan includes such measures as spawning area closures and ensuring that only mature fish are caught. This, together with the proactive approach of the Celtic Sea herring management advisory committee, has led to the stock recovering from the downward trend and it has been increasing in recent years. For example, the total allowable catch was 6,000 tonnes in 2009, down from a high of 20,000 tonnes in the mid-1990s, but by 2011 the total allowable catch had increased to just over 13,000 tonnes and a very significant increase in the total allowable catch is expected for next year.

In 2011, the Celtic Sea herring management advisory committee was successful in achieving Marine Stewardship Council certification for the stock. To achieve certification by the Marine Stewardship Council, an extremely rigorous assessment by the council's independent fishery experts and scientists is carried out. A fishery which is certified by the council is a guarantee that the fish are harvested in a sustainable and eco-friendly way.

The rebuilding plan for the stock will be complete by the end of 2011. To ensure a future for the fishery which is not subject to the peaks and troughs of the past, a long-term management plan has been developed by the committee in association with the Marine Institute. This plan will be submitted to the European Commission by the Pelagic Regional Advisory Council and will be assessed by both the International Council for the Exploration of the Seas, ICES, and the Scientific, Technical and Economic Committee for Fisheries, which advises the European Commission in regard to stock assessment and management.

The success of the rebuilding plan has brought a greater demand for access to the fishery from vessels which have not participated in the fishery in recent years. Under current arrangements, the fishery is not restricted and any vessel which does not have a pelagic preclusion in its sea fishing boat licence may enter the fishery. In general, between 2006 and 2010, the number of vessels in the fishery had been relatively constant. For example, 43 boats took part in the fishery in 2010, whereas 105 vessels had booked in to fish in 2011. This situation obviously greatly reduces the allocations for each vessel and poses a challenge to the sustainability of the fishery.

Conscious of the need to preserve these stocks, I announced a review of the management arrangements to apply to herring stocks on 12 May last, in which I asked the industry for its views. The review covered not just the Celtic Sea herring stock but also the herring stocks in the north-west and the Atlanto-Scandian herring stock in Norwegian waters. The views of industry submitted indicate that many in the industry, though not all, are looking for change in the current management arrangements. The changes sought, however, are widely varied and in many respects, to be honest, directly conflict with each other. Taking account of the views expressed, I have asked my Department to prepare options for my consideration, taking all issues into account. I am currently considering these options and when I have chosen a preferred approach, I plan to make this available to industry representatives for views before making a final decision on the future management arrangements for all final herring fisheries management decisions.

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