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

Mackerel is Ireland’s most important fishery economically and a healthy mackerel stock is essential for the Irish pelagic fleet and pelagic processing industry. The ICES catch advice for mackerel stock for 2020 was published on 1 October 2019. ICES has advised that the catches for 2020 by all parties, including those which operate outside the 2014 mackerel agreement, should not exceed 922,064 tonnes. This would equate to a 41% increase on the 2019 TAC of 653,438 tonnes agreed by the parties to the 2014 agreement, that is, the European Union, Norway and the Faroe Islands.

The 2019 TAC was set following a precautionary approach in applying the scientific advice available at the time. This was a 20% reduction compared with 2018 and the decision was taken in light of an ICES decision to undertake a complete review of the assessment methodology used to calculate the advice. That review resulted in new advice for 2019 being issued by ICES in May 2019. Following the publication of this new advice, two further coastal states meetings were organised. Ireland, along with most other EU member states, sought to revise the 2019 mackerel TAC. Unfortunately, it did not prove possible to achieve agreement between the coastal states on a mid-year upward revision of the TAC.

It is important to remember that overall catches have exceeded the scientific advice for the stock in recent years due to the unilateral actions of certain parties. If this situation continues, the long-term sustainability of the stock will be at risk. Representatives of the mackerel coastal states, namely, the EU, Norway, the Faroe Islands, Iceland and Greenland, are scheduled to meet from the 15 to 17 October in London. The ICES advice for 2020 will form the basis for these discussions.

In my view, there is absolutely no reason for the full advice not to be applied and this is the position that we will be arguing for at the consultations in London. Ireland, as always, will be represented by officials from my Department with scientific support from the Marine Institute.

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