Seán Kyne (Galway West, Fine Gael)
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I thank the Ceann Comhairle's office for selecting this item. It is my first time to raise such an issue and I welcome the attendance of the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine to respond to this important matter. While I am more accustomed to speaking on agricultural rather than fishing issues, the importance of the Celtic Sea as a herring fishery has been brought to my attention a number of times. I commend the Minister for his commitment to the fishing and aquaculture industries and in respect of job protection and creation. In this context, Bord Iascaigh Mhara recently made a presentation on the subject of salmon farming and its potential off the coast of County Galway. I also commend the great strides made by the Celtic Sea Herring Management Advisory Committee, CSHMAC. The Minister should indicate whether he has met that committee, the views of which he sought on 12 May on the management of the Celtic Sea fishery.

As the Minister is aware, overfishing in that part of the State's waters had resulted in a reduction of allocated quotas. In 2009 there was a quota of 5,000 tonnes and through the management of the fishery, this increased to 8,500 tonnes in 2010 and 11,500 tonnes in 2011. Moreover, there is potential for a further 30% increase next year. If the committee is allowed to continue its work on the capping of boat numbers, I am told there is potential to increase the quota to up to 20,000 tonnes. It is the only managed fishery in Ireland, one of the best in the European Union and was set up more than ten years ago.

The 2011 fish processing season in the Celtic Sea fishery finished on 11 November and the quota was fished over a seven week period. I note the Minister is expected to issue a policy document in the coming weeks on the management of the number of boats in the fishery and the future management of the allocation of the quota. Some concern has been expressed about the experience in the 2011 season. The policy of the CSHMAC is that the number of boats operating in the Celtic Sea should be capped on the basis of track record and I believe detailed proposals in this regard were forwarded to the Minister on 8 June. In addition, the committee's policy is that the fishery should continue to be fished on the basis of weekly quotas and according to the Celtic Sea boat to quota ratio. I seek the Minister's opinions on the document he received from the committee.

There also is concern about jobs in the processing industry that result from the landing of the quota because this year, for the first time, a significant quantity of fish was landed abroad in Denmark, France and Northern Ireland, from where no returns accrue to the State. I appreciate there are issues regarding competition. Can anything be done to encourage better use of this valuable fish stock in terms of job creation and protection? As the quota was fished in just seven weeks, there was a three to four week shortfall in the length of time that up to 500 people could have been working in the various areas of processing, transport, servicing and so on.

The committee has given the documents to the Minister. The function of that committee is to consider the objective of rebuilding this important stock. Great work has been done, as I have outlined, and it is important we continue that great work to ensure this valuable asset for the State and the region is supported. What the Minister does in terms of the management for next year will have a huge part to play in this regard.

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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For centuries, the herring stock in the Celtic Sea, centred around the Dunmore East area, has been a key stock which has reliably supported the fishing industry in the area. In the autumn of each year, many seasonal jobs are created both at sea and onshore in the local fish processing companies. Under the Common Fisheries Policy, 86% of this stock is ring-fenced for Irish vessels. Over the years, the size of the stock has gone through peaks and troughs, with a collapse in the stock in the 1970s and again in the 1990s.

In 2005, the Minister of the day constituted a management committee, the Celtic Sea herring management advisory committee, the role of which is to advise the Minister on the management arrangements for the stock, as outlined by the Deputy. The committee was established on an informal basis, that is, the Minister decided to establish the committee and issued letters to relevant organisations asking them to nominate persons to the committee. The committee comprises representatives of the industry and processors and is chaired by the Irish South and West Fish Producers Organisation. The Department is not represented on the committee, nor is any other State agency. However, the Marine Institute advises the committee from time to time on scientific issues relating to the stock.

The committee, together with the Marine Institute, developed a rebuilding plan for the stock in 2007. This rebuilding plan was submitted to the European Commission by the Minister and informs the total overall catch for the stock. The rebuilding plan includes such measures as spawning area closures and ensuring that only mature fish are caught. This, together with the proactive approach of the Celtic Sea herring management advisory committee, has led to the stock recovering from the downward trend and it has been increasing in recent years. For example, the total allowable catch was 6,000 tonnes in 2009, down from a high of 20,000 tonnes in the mid-1990s, but by 2011 the total allowable catch had increased to just over 13,000 tonnes and a very significant increase in the total allowable catch is expected for next year.

In 2011, the Celtic Sea herring management advisory committee was successful in achieving Marine Stewardship Council certification for the stock. To achieve certification by the Marine Stewardship Council, an extremely rigorous assessment by the council's independent fishery experts and scientists is carried out. A fishery which is certified by the council is a guarantee that the fish are harvested in a sustainable and eco-friendly way.

The rebuilding plan for the stock will be complete by the end of 2011. To ensure a future for the fishery which is not subject to the peaks and troughs of the past, a long-term management plan has been developed by the committee in association with the Marine Institute. This plan will be submitted to the European Commission by the Pelagic Regional Advisory Council and will be assessed by both the International Council for the Exploration of the Seas, ICES, and the Scientific, Technical and Economic Committee for Fisheries, which advises the European Commission in regard to stock assessment and management.

The success of the rebuilding plan has brought a greater demand for access to the fishery from vessels which have not participated in the fishery in recent years. Under current arrangements, the fishery is not restricted and any vessel which does not have a pelagic preclusion in its sea fishing boat licence may enter the fishery. In general, between 2006 and 2010, the number of vessels in the fishery had been relatively constant. For example, 43 boats took part in the fishery in 2010, whereas 105 vessels had booked in to fish in 2011. This situation obviously greatly reduces the allocations for each vessel and poses a challenge to the sustainability of the fishery.

Conscious of the need to preserve these stocks, I announced a review of the management arrangements to apply to herring stocks on 12 May last, in which I asked the industry for its views. The review covered not just the Celtic Sea herring stock but also the herring stocks in the north-west and the Atlanto-Scandian herring stock in Norwegian waters. The views of industry submitted indicate that many in the industry, though not all, are looking for change in the current management arrangements. The changes sought, however, are widely varied and in many respects, to be honest, directly conflict with each other. Taking account of the views expressed, I have asked my Department to prepare options for my consideration, taking all issues into account. I am currently considering these options and when I have chosen a preferred approach, I plan to make this available to industry representatives for views before making a final decision on the future management arrangements for all final herring fisheries management decisions.

Seán Kyne (Galway West, Fine Gael)
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I thank the Minister for his response. Sustainability is obviously a very important factor in this regard. I have been made aware that some boats have nets of a huge size which take in their weekly quota in one haul and, as a result, there are substantial quantities of herring discards. Is it under consideration to limit the size of the boats entering the Celtic Sea to stop this? Sustainability is what has brought us to the stage where we have allowed an increase in the quota. I am looking at this from the point of view of job protection and retention, given there are four processing factories for this valuable stock, including at Rossaveal in County Galway.

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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I understand exactly what the Deputy is suggesting. This is a hugely valuable fishery for the south-east, the south-west and the west coast, and a number of boats come also from the north west into the Celtic Sea.

There are a number of key issues on which I will ultimately need to make a judgment call following consultation and taking into account the views of the Celtic Sea herring management advisory committee but also views outside that committee, given there is not agreement across the board in this regard. Some of the issues relate to where fishermen can land their catch and whether there are restrictions in terms of the ports. As the Deputy knows, one cannot land Celtic Sea herring in certain ports but one can do so in others, which is an issue that needs to be reviewed and on which we need to make a decision. More importantly, we need to decide who gets priority in terms of access to the stock. Should it be people who have a historical track record of catching fish and who have been involved in rebuilding the stock by sustainable management, or people who have come in more recently and who can perhaps catch more efficiently because they are in bigger boats?

Ultimately, my only objective is to try to get the maximum benefit for the fishing industry from a growing stock of very valuable fish in a way that can sustain fishing communities to the maximum effect if the fish are caught efficiently and in a sustainable way. I will consult as widely as I can but, ultimately, given this is one of those issues on which it will be difficult to get agreement across the board, I will have to make a judgment call on it. However, that will be consistent with the process we agreed back in May.