Dáil debates

Thursday, 9 December 2021

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions

Common Fisheries Policy

9:40 am

Photo of Pádraig Mac LochlainnPádraig Mac Lochlainn (Donegal, Sinn Fein)
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7. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the share of the fish quota in the Irish exclusive economic zone, EEZ, under the Common Fisheries Policy, CFP, for the Irish fishing fleet; the overall share or percentage of the fish quota in the Irish EEZ under the CFP allocated to the Irish fishing fleet; and the overall share and percentage of the fish quota in the Irish EEZ under the CFP allocated to the fishing fleet of each of the other European Union member states by species in tabular form. [60426/21]

Photo of Pádraig Mac LochlainnPádraig Mac Lochlainn (Donegal, Sinn Fein)
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This question seeks to establish definitively the position of the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine in respect of the percentage of fish from Irish waters allocated to the Irish fishing fleet under the CFP. I refer to the Irish exclusive economic zone. I seek to establish that percentage. As the Minister will know, the fishing industry argues that the percentage is 15%. I understand that the Department has argued that it is over 40%. This information is fundamental because, if the extent of the problem is not accepted, how can it be solved?

9:50 am

Photo of Charlie McConalogueCharlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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I thank the Deputy for his question. This is one I have answered on many occasions previously. I welcome the opportunity to clarify this matter again. I hope this information will be helpful to everyone.

Under the CFP, EU fishing fleets are given equal access to EU waters and fishing grounds, subject to allocated fish quotas and the rules of the CFP. There are restrictions on access within the 12-nautical-mile zones of member states, including ourselves. Quotas for the various fish stocks are allocated for management areas, as set out by the scientists of the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea, ICES, who assess stocks and detail ICES areas. The quotas for various stocks are allocated for those ICES areas, rather than for member states' EEZs. For example, the total allowable catch for the hake stock is in ICES areas 6 and 7, and that area stretches from the north of Scotland down to the northern coast of Brittany and into the English Channel. This area includes parts of the Irish, UK and French EEZs and some international waters. Ireland's quota for that stock may be fished in any part of this area. In addition, Ireland's main mackerel quota covers ICES areas 6 and 7, stretching from the north of Scotland to the north coast of Brittany. The full quota may be fished in UK waters off the northern North Sea, and normally is, because it is fished primarily early in the year and in that area. Access to the northern North Sea in particular is economically important for our fleet for that reason.

Regarding Ireland's 200-mile zone, and the fisheries catch taken there, the Marine Institute has estimated the landings from the Irish EEZ for the top 25 species from 2015 to 2019. These figures show that, overall, Irish vessels take 35.5%, by weight, and 38.8%, by value, of the landings from the Irish EEZ. The total value of Ireland's fish quotas for 2021 is approximately €229 million.

Photo of Pádraig Mac LochlainnPádraig Mac Lochlainn (Donegal, Sinn Fein)
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I believe there is such a thing as lies, damn lies and statistics. If we look at the stock book from the Marine Institute from 2020 and at the total tonnage taken, and its overall value, it will be seen that the total value of the Irish catch was €251,563,000. That was out of a total catch taken from Irish waters by all the EU fleet of €1.62 billion. This is where this 15% comes from. I just checked the stock book for the most recent year, and the catch for last year was even lower - down to €180 million. This is the problem. If the Minister's officials cannot get their head around what we are getting out of our waters for our Irish fleet, how can we ever resolve this issue? We are in serious trouble here if they do not accept the scale of the injustice.

Photo of Charlie McConalogueCharlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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The detail is very important in this regard. I am fighting the battle all the time at European level to try to maximise our fish quotas. I will be in Brussels on Sunday and Monday, once again fighting the battle regarding our national fish quota. We were also fighting that at the last Council meeting. Ireland was the only EU member state to vote against the proposal. I voted against it because I disagreed with it. I will fight that battle at every opportunity to do the best we can for our fishermen and to try to maximise our quota. That has been my form at every opportunity since I was appointed as the Minister.

The facts and the figures are important. It is important that there is clarity in this regard if we are fighting that battle. The scientists at the Marine Institute are the people who keep these figures. I have outlined to the Deputy today, as I have on many occasions before, what the figures are, namely, 35.5%, by weight, and 38.8%, by value, of the landings from the Irish EEZ. That amounts to two thirds of our total catch, because the other one third is caught in British waters. That is the factual position as established by the authorities that monitor this aspect and that do the fullest and best possible assessment of the reality.

Photo of Pádraig Mac LochlainnPádraig Mac Lochlainn (Donegal, Sinn Fein)
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I know the Minister engages with the producer organisations and the relevant representative groups. However, I ask if he will sit down with the four main producer organisations, the Irish South and West Fish Producers Organisation, the Irish South and East Fish Producers Organisation, the Irish Fish Producers Organisation, and the Killybegs Fishermen’s Organisation, his Department's officials and representatives of the Marine Institute to reach agreement as to what the percentage is in this regard. Those organisations produced the stock book for 2020 for me, and it does not make for good reading concerning the most up-to-date figures from 2020-2021. That is where we are at right now. The situation is even worse after Brexit, as the Minister is aware. This is critical because the Minister is about to go into the December Council meeting and this is the year when the quotas are agreed. There was no burden sharing after Brexit and there was no fairness. The Minister must try to rebalance this situation. Will the Minister engage with those producer organisations, try to get an accurate and agreed number and then go and fight for it in Europe?

Photo of Charlie McConalogueCharlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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This is an issue that I have discussed with the producer organisations before, one I have clarified and one that the Marine Institute does a full assessment of. I outlined the challenges in that regard in my response. The quota areas, which are based on ICES areas, do not reflect economic zones. Regarding the most accurate assessment possible in respect of calculating this figure, the Marine Institute, which is the body that does that task, has calculated that we take 35.5% of the volume and 38.8% of the value of fish caught in 200-mile EEZ. On top of that, we catch an additional one third in British waters. That was why continuing to have access to British waters was so important coming out of Brexit and such an important strategic objective as well.

I will never believe that this share is enough and I will always fight for us to have more. I have fought that battle at European level every time and I have fought it consistently since I was appointed. However, this is the starting point in respect of the best possible assessment of what the figures are and what the reality is.

Question No. 8 replied to with Written Answers.