Johnny Mythen (Wexford, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Before I begin I would like to commend on the record the tremendous work my colleague, former MEP Liadh Ní Riada, did for the Irish fishing industry during her tenure.

There is no doubt that, as the saying goes, Brexit was neither good for man nor beast but in this case it was neither good for fishermen nor Irish fresh fish stocks. I have met inshore and offshore fishermen in my county, particularly the Kilmore fishermen, who feel completely let down and say once again that they are being used as sacrificial pawns on the chessboard of the Brexit-EU negotiations. The loss of 15% of the total quota of fish means an estimated loss of approximately €43 million over the next five years. That will have a huge effect on the fishing communities and will inevitably cause job losses and a depletion of Irish fishing vessels. It is also a loss of a natural resource that rightfully belongs to the Irish people. Their backs are literally being put to the harbour walls. They do not want to see their boats decommissioned. They simply want to fish as they have done for generations.

I ask the Minister if any solutions were put forward to counteract the loss of quotas for the Irish fleet, especially in terms of mackerel and herring, and, if so, what were they? In the upcoming EU Agriculture and Fisheries Council meeting, what solutions will the Minister and the Government be bringing forward? What proposals are in place in terms of the upcoming review of the Common Fisheries Policy, CFP, and the 15% drop in quotas? Will a support package be put in place to compensate Irish lobster catchers to shield them from any new surge of US tariff-free imports?

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