Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank Deputy Martin Kenny for raising this important and interesting matter. The bluefin tuna is a highly regulated species and the situation is extremely contentious at EU and international level. The annual catch limits are set by the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas, ICCAT, based on scientific advice. Due to the severely depleted slate of the stock, a management plan was put in place by ICCAT in 2007. This resulted in greatly reduced annual catch limits in the Mediterranean and eastern Atlantic Ocean in an effort to rebuild stocks. It is only in the past few years that the stock has begun to show improvement for the first time since the establishment of the recovery plan.

Within the EU, quota shares for bluefin tuna were allocated in the late 1990s to member states based on track record. Ireland, which did not have a track record of fishing for bluefin tuna, does not have a dedicated quota. We do, however, have access to a small by-catch quota of 39 tonnes for 2016 for bluefin tuna in our albacore tuna and pelagic fisheries only. It must be stressed, however, that this by-catch quota is also available to other member states and cannot be used for any targeted fishery including recreational and/or sport fisheries under any circumstances.

In terms of Ireland seeking to acquire a dedicated blue fin tuna quota, the only way we could obtain a quota would be to reach agreement within the EU to reallocate to us a portion of the EU total allowable catch, TAC. This would be extremely difficult as it would involve reducing the share of the total allowable catch of those EU member states that do have quota and for which bluefin tuna is an important commercial fishery in which they have had an established track record. These constraints apply also to any attempt by Ireland or others to increase the by-catch quota as any increase would have to come off the total EU allocation.

I have recently made funds available to allow the Marine Institute, with the support of the European Commission, to engage actively in developing Ireland’s involvement in the ICCAT Atlantic-wide research programme relating to bluefin tuna.

With these funds, Ireland is currently participating in an ICCAT sanctioned scientific tag and release research programme on bluefin tuna in the waters off the north-west coast. This is a scientific research project to assess the abundance and distribution of bluefin tuna in the waters off the Irish coast. In future, and depending on the results of the project, it may prove possible to extend the scope of the project. I appreciate the situation that there is growing abundance of bluefin tuna in the waters around Ireland. Deputy Kenny has alluded to that. I have asked my Department to explore any possible opportunity to increase the by-catch quota allocation particularly in light of the discards ban which applies to this species. In terms of seeking a dedicated quota for our recreational fishery or a commercial quota, it is clear that the European Union obstacles are formidable. At European Union and ICCAT level, we are showing our commitment to building scientific knowledge of the stock that will provide information on its abundance and migratory pattern. However, bluefin tuna is one of the most high value and contentious stocks. Any suggestion that Ireland receive a share for a directed fishery will face huge opposition from member states with established shares who would lose a portion of their quotas.

The annual meeting of ICCAT is currently under way in Portugal and will conclude on 21 November 2016. As always, Ireland is being represented at this meeting and has participated in all of the relevant technical preparatory meetings, with assistance from the Marine Institute. This meeting deals with all Atlantic tuna stocks, including bluefin tuna. From an Irish point of view, our immediate primary concern is our valuable albacore fishery. This meeting will determine TAC levels for both albacore and bluefin tuna but it will not address any reallocation or the creation of new shares.

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