Thomas Pringle (Donegal South West, Independent) | Oireachtas source

The Minister's answer is basically the same as the one he gave me six months ago when I raised this question. It goes to the heart of the European Union's fisheries policy. The Minister has referred to the fact that a country has to have a track record of fishing for bluefin tuna to be able to secure a quota. I have tabled another parliamentary question today on the issue of track records. Lithuania was allocated a scad and mackerel quota off the west coast of Ireland, despite never having fished here or having a track record. How can that be? They are European Union rules. The people who have researched catch and release schemes for bluefin tuna estimated that a quota of about 3 tonnes would be required to make this a viable proposition. The European Union's quota for bluefin tuna was approximately 22,000 tonnes in 2014. Is the Minister seriously saying we, as a nation, cannot go to the European Union to ask for a quota of 3 tonnes for bluefin tuna to do something that could assist those involved in the inshore fishing community who need our help?

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