Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

The Irish South and West Fish Producers Organisation, along with all the other fishing organisations was part of the seafood task force, which unanimously recommended that there should be a decommissioning scheme. I am following through on that request. I am also following through in the many efforts I am making at European level to try to improve our quota position. There has been some success in that regard in terms of securing more blue whiting, for example. I am also battling at European level to try to improve our mackerel quota. Those are all hard-earned, hard-fought opportunities where we try to improve our position.

We must also work at national level to ensure we have as many viable, economically sustainable fishery families as possible. I am working to respond to the requests of the fishing sector on how we can do that. The decommissioning scheme is one of the requests.

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