Michael Comiskey (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Minister to the House and thank him for giving his time to discuss this most important matter of fisheries. Ireland's fisheries are a vital part of our economy. As an island nation, Ireland has always recognised the importance of fishing, both economically and socially. In the past and still today, fisheries have provided necessary employment for those living along the coastline. The natural, clean water around Ireland's coastline has proved particularly bountiful for seafood for thousands of years.

It is important to protect this in the future.

The seafood industry contributes approximately €700 million annually to our national income and employs 11,000 people, mainly in coastal counties from Donegal around the country to Louth. There are four main activities under the auspices of the Irish seafood industry - fishing, fish farming, processing and marketing. The top fishing ports in Ireland are Killybegs, Castletownbere, Dingle, Dunmore East and Kilmore Quay, but fishing vessels also land at various small ports around the coast. Aquaculture activity includes growing finfish, such as salmon and trout, and shellfish farming, including the cultivation of mussels, oysters and scallops. With regard to processing, seafood companies produce high value products from salmon, whitefish, shellfish and pelagic fish species, such as herring, mackerel and horse mackerel, all of which yield substantial export earnings for the sector. As regards marketing, Irish seafood is sold at home, to the value of €340 million, and in international markets in Europe, Africa and the Far East, where exports are valued at €375 million.

In light of this, it is important that we strive to do all we can to protect the coastal environment, fish stocks and jobs in the industry for the sake of future generations. Modern fishing vessels and fishing methods can pose risks to the fisheries sector. Commercial trawlers can now travel long distances across the ocean and some are fitted with hydraulically powered winches with the ability to scoop up several tonnes of fish in a single net. During much of the 20th century, continuous fishing and marine pollution pushed some fish stocks to the brink of extinction, making it necessary to regulate the fishing industry.

Today, the interests of Irish fishermen, fishing communities and consumers of fish products are supported through the EU's Common Fisheries Policy. The Common Fisheries Policy is negotiated and agreed between all 28 member states, and initiatives that promote sustainable fishing are encouraged and part funded by the European fisheries fund. Following three years of considerable review and consultation with industry representatives, and negotiations between the European Commission, member states and MEPs, the Common Fisheries Policy was substantially reformed in 2014 and is now financially supported through a new European maritime and fisheries fund.

The main aim of the Common Fisheries Policy is to protect the seafood industry and the marine environment for future generations. The Common Fisheries Policy sets out the rules for managing European fishing fleets and for conserving fish stocks. It is designed to manage a common resource, the sea, and it gives all European fishing fleets equal access to EU waters and fishing grounds and allows fishermen to compete fairly. While fish stocks may be renewable, they are limited. Some fish stocks are being over-fished. As a result, EU countries have taken action to ensure the European fishing industry is sustainable and does not threaten the fish population size and productivity in the long term.

The CFP was first introduced in the 1970s and went through successive updates, the most recent of which took effect on 1 January 2014. The CFP aims to ensure that fishing and aquaculture are environmentally, economically and socially sustainable and that they provide a source of healthy food for EU citizens. Its aim is to foster a dynamic fishing industry and to ensure a fair standard of living for fishing communities. The current policy stipulates that between 2015 and 2020 catch limits should be set that are sustainable and maintain fish stocks in the long term. It is submitted that the impact of fishing on the fragile marine environment is not fully understood. As a result, the CFP has taken a cautious approach which recognises the impact of human activity on all elements of the ecosystem. It endeavours to make fishing fleets more selective in what they catch and to eliminate the practice of discarding unwanted fish. The reform also changes the way in which the CFP is managed, thereby giving EU countries greater control at national and regional level.

This new policy puts fishermen at the core of developing conservation measures for fisheries in which they are involved and also makes specific references to taking account of the needs of our fishermen. Under the new regional approach, Ireland works with fellow member states, the UK, France, Spain, Belgium and the Netherlands, on developing appropriate measures for fisheries in the north-western waters. This group works closely with the North Western Waters Regional Advisory Council and the Pelagic Advisory Council. A discards plan for pelagic stocks in north-western waters is being finalised, as the landing obligation applies to these stocks from 1 January 2015. Work on a plan for whitefish stocks has commenced to provide for the landing obligation which commences on 1 January 2016. This work is being carried out in consultation with the advisory council.

The European Commission published its annual consultation paper in June 2014 on fishing opportunities for 2015 under the Common Fisheries Policy, setting out its views on the state of the stocks and the principles to be used when setting the fishing opportunities for 2015. The terms, conditions and quotas for 2015 will be determined at the December Fisheries Council. There are key issues for Ireland as we approach this Council. One is how the Commission will take account of the new data indicating significant recruitment of cod and haddock in the Celtic Sea. We wish to have clear commitments from the Commission that this data will be taken into account in the December negotiations, to avoid a situation where vessels will have to discard in the spring in the absence of sensible quotas reflecting the reality of the stocks. The second is use of the precautionary approach when no scientific advice is available for the stock. If strictly implemented, this could result in unnecessary cuts in TACs and quotas. Third is the phasing in of the maximum rate of the fishing mortality objective. Our view is that this must be achieved on a progressive and incremental basis as laid down in the CFP. There are concerns that the Commission might seek to accelerate this process unnecessarily.

I welcome the meeting that was held earlier this month between the Minister, Deputy Coveney, and the French Fisheries Minister, Alain Vidalies, in Brussels. The meeting was organised to prepare for negotiations on the 2015 fish quotas ahead of the Fisheries Council. This was the first meeting between the Minister and Mr. Vidalies. France and Ireland have important shared fisheries in the Celtic Sea. The Irish and French fishing industries have a strong working relationship and it is important that we ensure this relationship is fully reflected at political level.

In conclusion, Irish fisheries are a very important element of the Irish economy and society. It is important that we do our best to ensure their continued growth and prosperity. I congratulate the Minister on his work in China over the last couple of weeks. Finally, I agree with Senator O'Donovan that we must also look after the small-scale fishermen who go out fishing.