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

The north-east Atlantic mackerel scientific assessment by ICES includes information from a number of sources, including catch data, tagging data and three survey indices. During preparations by ICES for the upcoming benchmark, an error was discovered in the calculation of the northern trawl survey index for 2016 that resulted in values being overestimated. Thus, the assessment conducted during the 2016 ICES working group and used as the basis for the 2017 advice released on 30 September 2016 overestimated the stock size.

Updated northern trawl survey index values have been calculated and a new assessment and forecast have been carried out by ICES. Based on this work, new advice for 2017 was issued by ICES on Thursday, 26 January. According to the Marine Institute, the updated advice is 9% lower than the initial advice for 2017, that is, 926,936 tonnes versus 1,020,996 tonnes.

The original advice for 2017 was for a 14% increase on that for 2016 and it was on this that the 2017 coastal states agreement was based. Subsequent to that agreement, Ministers confirmed the EU total allowable catch, TAC, and individual EU member state quotas at the December Fisheries Council. That decision has been given legal effect by the new TAC and quota regulations for 2017.

It is expected that the matter may be considered, probably informally, at coastal state level involving the EU, Norway and the Faroe Islands. At European level, the right of initiative rests with the European Commission. If there is support for amending the TAC at coastal state level, it will require a formal agreement. Following any such revised agreement, an amendment to the EU TAC and quotas would require a proposal from the European Commission and the European Council's adoption of the amending EU regulation. The Commission has not yet commented publicly on the new advice and a new ICES benchmark assessment for north-east Atlantic mackerel is due next month.

Additional information not given on the floor of the House

Any amendment to the EU TAC and Ireland's mackerel quota that may be determined by the EU Fisheries Council will be taken into account as part of my consideration of the review. This review relates to the allocation between the RSW pelagic segment and the polyvalent segment in respect of the increased mackerel quota for Ireland in 2017 over that in 2016. It is important to note that I have not made any decision at this time to change the allocations between the segments. All relevant issues will be carefully evaluated and consideration given to submissions made in this consultation before I decide if any amendment to the policy is justified for the proper and effective management of the mackerel fishery.

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