Seán Connick (Wexford, Fianna Fail)
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Question 576: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food his views on the commitment of the European Fisheries Commissioner to examine the possibility of increasing the access of Irish fishermen to cod stocks in the Celtic Sea; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29016/08]

Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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At the December 2007 Council, a preliminary 2008 Total Allowable Catch (TAC) for Celtic Sea cod was set at 4,316 tonnes under Council Regulation (EC) No. 40/2008. A final TAC was to be established in the light of new scientific advice as soon as possible in the first half of 2008. In March this year, a scientific submission was made by the Research Institutes of France, UK and Ireland proposing that the scientific state of the stock was sufficient to justify an increase in the stock.

Ireland's provisional allocation for this area for 2008 was 753 tonnes. The quota is managed in conjunction with the industry and at the request of the industry a relatively liberal fishery was permitted earlier in the year when markets were strong. This quota is almost exhausted now and it has already been necessary to scale down the fishery in this area. This will prove a very difficult problem for Irish fishermen because cod is taken in a mixed fishery and this will ultimately lead to discarding, which, from a conservation perspective, cannot be justified.

In that context I welcomed the commitment given by Commissioner Borg, after strong pressure from Ireland, France and the UK, to re-examine the 2008 TAC in the light of the most recent scientific advice, published at the end of June. I understand that, as a result of the review, the Commission will be bringing a revised proposal to Council for decision in the near future. Any increase in the TAC will of course be shared among all Member States having a quota for cod in the Celtic Sea.