Results 101-120 of 4,659 for speaker:Jennifer Whitmore
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate, Environment and Energy: Fish Kill in the River Blackwater: Discussion (30 Sep 2025)
Jennifer Whitmore: How much was the company fined?
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate, Environment and Energy: Fish Kill in the River Blackwater: Discussion (30 Sep 2025)
Jennifer Whitmore: The fine was €11,000 and the company's revenue is over €200 million a year, is that correct?
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Fisheries and Maritime Affairs: Sprat Fishing: Discussion (30 Sep 2025)
Jennifer Whitmore: It was for the inshore fishers, that is perfect. As part of that policy development, was the ICES advice considered in relation to the precautionary quota that it has down, of 2,240 tonnes? Was that considered as part of the discussions? Did that form any basis? Why is it not part of the policy?
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Fisheries and Maritime Affairs: Sprat Fishing: Discussion (30 Sep 2025)
Jennifer Whitmore: Yet it is essentially being managed now. By excluding the larger boats the Department is managing it and ensuring there is actually a quota for the larger boats in year 1. Is that correct? There is no quota, however. The Department is not putting any quota, cap or restrictions on the species in total in line with the precautionary ICES advice.
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Fisheries and Maritime Affairs: Sprat Fishing: Discussion (30 Sep 2025)
Jennifer Whitmore: Okay. It was not about the sustainability of the sprat; it was about the inshore fishers.
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Fisheries and Maritime Affairs: Sprat Fishing: Discussion (30 Sep 2025)
Jennifer Whitmore: I thank Ms McSherry. I have a question for the Marine Institute. This is obviously a very important forage fish. What are the risks if this species is not sustainably managed? Do the witnesses see the measures that are being proposed as a means to sustainably manage this species?
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Fisheries and Maritime Affairs: Sprat Fishing: Discussion (30 Sep 2025)
Jennifer Whitmore: Obviously, we are currently looking at this as a national stock. Last week, we heard from Mr. Foley regarding the Dunmore box and how there was a lot of sprat there. A recent letter from the Minister referred to how the Marine Institute survey had showed there was no evidence of collapse in the abundance of the species in the Celtic Sea. Is it important to assess for this species on a very...
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Fisheries and Maritime Affairs: Sprat Fishing: Discussion (30 Sep 2025)
Jennifer Whitmore: Okay. What is the best way to do management plans?
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Fisheries and Maritime Affairs: Sprat Fishing: Discussion (30 Sep 2025)
Jennifer Whitmore: In the absence of that information, is there a risk we are not going to manage this stock sustainably? It is a very short-lived fish and if there is one heavy year of fishing, I imagine it could impact the populations significantly.
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Fisheries and Maritime Affairs: Sprat Fishing: Discussion (30 Sep 2025)
Jennifer Whitmore: "Collapse" is quite a significant phrase.
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Fisheries and Maritime Affairs: Sprat Fishing: Discussion (30 Sep 2025)
Jennifer Whitmore: Has the institute seen a decline? Does Dr. Kelly have any concerns about overfishing beyond the ICES's recommended and precautionary amount?
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Fisheries and Maritime Affairs: Sprat Fishing: Discussion (30 Sep 2025)
Jennifer Whitmore: That is not happening at the moment.
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Fisheries and Maritime Affairs: Sprat Fishing: Discussion (30 Sep 2025)
Jennifer Whitmore: It is really important that the Government supports inshore fisheries. I know that inshore fisheries have been squeezed out of many of the fisheries. Last week they outlined a series of ways in which they could be supported. It is important that Government does that. I understand the rationale for the ban on larger boats. However, and this is more directed at the Department, there will...
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Fisheries and Maritime Affairs: Sprat Fishing: Discussion (30 Sep 2025)
Jennifer Whitmore: Dr. Kelly mentioned a pathway for ICES. Has that pathway or roadmap started in the context of genetic testing and trends? Has that started? Do we as a State have to request that is done?
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Fisheries and Maritime Affairs: Sprat Fishing: Discussion (30 Sep 2025)
Jennifer Whitmore: I have a brief question for the Marine Institute. It is a sort of closing question. Dr. Kelly said it would take a number of years to build up the evidence and data and to go through the ICES process, so it will take a number of years before there is any possibility of developing any specific sprat management plans. Leaving aside economic or political reasons and purely on the basis of...
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Fisheries and Maritime Affairs: Sprat Fishing: Discussion (30 Sep 2025)
Jennifer Whitmore: It is for whoever wishes to answer.
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Fisheries and Maritime Affairs: Sprat Fishing: Discussion (30 Sep 2025)
Jennifer Whitmore: I will turn to the Department.
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Fisheries and Maritime Affairs: Sprat Fishing: Discussion (30 Sep 2025)
Jennifer Whitmore: It is important that the Marine Institute gets support because this issue is not going to go away. We have this unregulated fishery and the chances are that this issue is going to keep arising, again and again. I do not know if the Department has already directed the Marine Institute or ensured that it has all the resources it requires. Some work is happening already but if the institute...
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate, Environment and Energy: Fish Kill in the River Blackwater: Discussion (30 Sep 2025)
Jennifer Whitmore: It could have been particulate and caustic, is that correct?
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Fisheries and Maritime Affairs: Sprat Fishing: Discussion (30 Sep 2025)
Jennifer Whitmore: I thank everyone for their statements and for coming in today. I have a question for Ms McSherry in relation to the policy measures that were recently announced. Reading through her opening statement, is it fair to say that those policy measures were designed as a tool to assist the inshore fishery rather than as a sustainable fishery tool?