Pádraig Mac Lochlainn (Donegal, Sinn Fein)
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38. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the reason Ireland has not received a single tonne of the hundreds of tonnes in additional international quota total allowable catch for the lucrative bluefin tuna species that has been secured by the European Union since 2016; his views on the scientific information he has to hand on the abundance of this species in Irish waters or the Irish exclusive economic zone; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41612/20]

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn (Donegal, Sinn Fein)
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What is the reason that Ireland has not received a single tonne of the hundreds of tonnes of additional international quota that was allocated to the European Union since 2016 for one of the most lucrative fish in the world?

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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I thank the Deputy for his question, which has been raised with me on many occasions by fishermen. Bluefin tuna is a highly migratory large pelagic species which spawns in the Mediterranean and then migrates over a wide area of the north-east Atlantic to feed.  This migration brings some of the fish into the Irish 200-mile zone for part of the year, as we discussed previously. At the time we see the fish in the Irish zone, there are also fish being caught in the international high seas and over a wide area from Spain all the way up to Norway.  There is no survey from which the abundance in Ireland's 200-mile zone may be determined.

Ireland does not have a national quota for bluefin tuna, as the Deputy indicated.  The available bluefin tuna quota is allocated each year to member states on the basis of relative stability, as established in the late 1990s.  At that time, Ireland did not have a track record of commercial fishing for bluefin tuna and, accordingly, did not receive a quota allocation.  A small bluefin tuna by-catch quota is available to Ireland, primarily for use in our important northern Albacore tuna fishery and Celtic Sea herring fishery, where there can be bluefin tuna by-catches.

In 2018, Ireland was successful, for the first time, in securing agreement that allowed countries without a commercial quota to set up a catch-tag-release fishery to contribute to the collection of scientific data. A catch-tag-release science-based fishery for authorised recreational angling vessels has been in place since 2019. It supports the collection of valuable data on the migratory patterns of bluefin tuna in Irish waters.

The only way to obtain a share of the EU quota now would involve changing relative stability within the EU. The EU percentage share of the international total allowable catch is set down. There is no likelihood that an international country will concede any share to the EU. This means that EU member states with a national quota would have to give up a share of their allocation to Ireland.

The European Commission has advised that it intends to commence the Common Fisheries Policy review process when there is clarity on the future relationship between the EU and the UK. The review is expected to be detailed and comprehensive. It is expected that all stakeholders will have an opportunity to engage actively in the review work including the fishing industry and member states. I will consider how Ireland will prepare for and participate actively and effectively in the review, including the interaction with stakeholders to prepare Ireland's case and identify priorities.

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn (Donegal, Sinn Fein)
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The International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas is the body that sets the international quota. Since 2016, the European Union share of that international quota has increased by 73% - some 8,000 tonnes - from 11,200 tonnes to 19,360 tonnes. Ireland, however, has not got one of those tonnes. Irish fishermen, right around the coast, are reporting to me as Sinn Féin's fisheries spokesperson that they are looking at this lucrative and predatory fish getting fattened up on a range of fish species in our waters, which then goes out and gets caught by an array of international vessels. These vessels are making a fortune from fish fattened in our waters. It is an absolute mortal sin that we have not got one tonne of that additional quota in recent years. The Minister will have to fight harder.

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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From speaking to fishermen, I know the challenges and the difficulties with not having a quota for bluefin tuna. The Deputy knows from talking to fishermen the challenge of changing quota allocations every year. He will also know how, whether it is mackerel, herring, haddock or whiting, we hold on protectively to our total allowable catches and how we would like to get more. If the total allowable catch increases in a year, we look to ensure that we hold the percentage we have of that species. We would not give away a single fish of it and would like to have more.

That is the dynamic in the context of bluefin tuna. Other member states would have a track record that we do not have. Accordingly, they have a percentage of the total allowable catch. As that has increased in recent years, they have held their percentages of it. I am committed to doing all I can, particularly under the review of the Common Fisheries Policy, to address that. I do not underestimate the challenge as everybody looks to hold on to their quotas. I certainly will be doing all I can within the Common Fisheries Policy review to fight on behalf our fishermen.

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn (Donegal, Sinn Fein)
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One of these bluefin tuna can be worth $10,000. In the Japanese sushi and sashimi markets, it is an incredibly lucrative fish. More than 8,000 additional tonnes in the past four years were secured by the European Union for this fish but we get nothing. As the Minister knows from wearing his agriculture hat, we are looking at the Common Agricultural Policy, the single farm payment, the historical relationship in that regard and how it can be unjust. This fisheries situation is profoundly unjust. It is a mortal sin that we have this healthy lucrative fishery that our fishermen are allowed to go out on a chartered vessel, catch the fish and release it again, only for it to go out fattened from our waters and to make a fortune of money for vessels from other countries. This is madness. The Minister is an intelligent man and a Donegal man. He knows it is madness. He has to stand up and fight for Irish interests. We cannot put up with this any longer. It is absolutely sickening to see the amount of money lost. It could be used for our inshore fleet. The Minister could control the way it is fished to make a nice income for boats all around our coast.

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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I will be doing all I can to fight for our fishermen and push at European level, as part of the Common Fisheries Policy review, to secure some of that bluefin tuna catch for us. As the Deputy well knows, the challenge in that regard should not be underestimated. I will certainly step up and do all I can to fight in that regard.

The Deputy knows the background, which I have well explained, of traditional catch records which went to inform how various quotas were allocated and how protectively every member state, including ourselves, holds on to them and tries to increase them.

We have to ensure that we fish in a way which is sustainable into the future. We must ensure we do not overfish and thereby undermine stocks. This means there is a ceiling on the total allowable catch which is dictated by the health of fish stocks. The move in 2019 in terms of a scientific catch-and-release scheme will, hopefully, give us some evidence to work with concerning the health of the bluefin tuna stocks in Irish waters. It will allow us to push hard at European level for that. I can assure all fishermen that I will not be found wanting. I will do all I can to make progress in that regard.