Seán Power (Kildare South, Fianna Fail)

I thank Senator Norris for raising this matter. I have discussed it with many people who are involved in the eel industry. I am fully aware of the legitimate concerns of commercial eel fishermen who are affected by the demise of European eel stocks. I met representatives of the eel fishing industry before Christmas, before Ireland submitted its plan to Brussels, and again in recent weeks. I took their concerns into consideration when examining the options presented to me for the future management of Irish eel fisheries. The delegations from the industry have taken a constructive approach, by and large. I have explained the difficult position in which I find myself. A public consultation process was undertaken during the preparation of the national eel management plan to elicit the views of stakeholders in this sector, including eel fishermen.

I wish to outline the background to the draft national eel management plan that Ireland has submitted to the European Commission. Recent scientific research, issued by the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea, has indicated that the European eel fish stock is so depleted that it is outside safe biological limits. The EU regulation mentioned by Senator Norris represents an attempt to achieve recovery of the stock to a sustainable level. The objective of each eel management plan is to reduce anthropogenic mortalities so as to achieve a target escapement of 40% of the biomass of adult eels in pristine conditions, that is, before the collapse in stocks began.

I am advised that Ireland's draft eel management plan relies upon the most up to date scientific and management information available. Surveys of eel stocks were undertaken by the Marine Institute throughout the 1960s into the mid-1990s. Eels were also recorded in the mixed stock surveys undertaken by the central and regional fisheries boards. During 2008, the Marine Institute, along with the other agencies, has collated all available eel survey data into a national database which will support assessments of the stock into the future.

To inform decision making in the preparation of the national eel management plan, scientists developed a stock assessment model based on current best available data.

Given the implications of the scientific and management advice, the absolute necessity to conserve remaining stocks and the obligation to contribute to the recovery of stocks in the shortest time possible, the national eel management plan recommended a number of management measures needed to reach the targets set in the EU regulation. These are, first, an immediate cessation of the commercial eel fishery and closure of the market; second, mitigation of the impact of hydropower, including a comprehensive silver eel trap and transport plan; third, ensuring upstream migration of juvenile eel at barriers; and, fourth, the improvement of water quality in eel habitats.

The option of reducing rather than ceasing the commercial fishery in some districts was considered and decided against for a number of reasons. The required traceability scheme would be uneconomical, monitoring and enforcement effort would be disproportionate to the value of the activity and the recovery of the eel stock would take up to three times as long.

Adoption of all of these measures within the eel management plan provides for recovery of stocks to historical levels in the shortest time possible, some 90 years, which is the equivalent of four eel generations. I emphasise that the achievement of the regulation target by Ireland is dependent on equivalent EU-wide action being taken. Anything less would compromise the recovery of Irish stocks.

Under the regulation an evaluation of the eel stock and management measures will be undertaken every three years until 2018 and every six years thereafter. The prospect of reopening the fishery in each river basin district will be examined from 2012. When the last 25 years of poor recruitment is taken into account, however, it is clear that the adult eel stock in Irish waters will continue to decline for at least the next decade. For the foreseeable future, therefore, management of the fishery will focus on conservation.

I must stress that there is no property right attaching to public eel licences and consequently the issue of compensation is not relevant or appropriate, given that the proposed closure of the fishery is being applied for conservation reasons under the Fisheries Acts. While I have no funds at my disposal for a hardship fund for commercial eel fishermen, the Central Fisheries Board is actively investigating alternative opportunities to assist eel fishermen in diversification efforts. Some eel fishermen will also have the opportunity to tender for the trap and transport operations to be managed by the ESB under the plan.

My obligation as Minister, regardless of the EU regulation, is to conserve and protect our depleted stock of eel sufficient to ensure its recovery and to secure ecological biodiversity in our inland fisheries for future generations. I hope I can rely on the support of the Oireachtas in meeting that challenge.