Written answers

Wednesday, 1 October 2008

Department of Agriculture and Food

Fisheries Protection

2:00 pm

Photo of Martin FerrisMartin Ferris (Kerry North, Sinn Fein)
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Question 194: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food the basis on which the Danish quota for the ICES VI and ICES VII zones was established. [32760/08]

Photo of Brendan SmithBrendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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Quota allocations for the main fish stocks were set in the early 1980's when fish stocks were being shared out between Member States. The share allocations were based on catch records and reflected the fishing levels by the various fleets at that time in all areas including ICES Area VI and VII.

Photo of Fergus O'DowdFergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)
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Question 195: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food his views on correspondence from a committee (details supplied); and if he will assist it in being allowed to fish for cockles at Annagassan, County Louth when the season opens. [32887/08]

Photo of Brendan SmithBrendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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The Shellfish Management Framework is the normal mechanism for the development of management plans for inshore fisheries. It consists of Local Advisory Committees (LACs), which are industry led, and Species Advisory Groups (SAGs) who present plans to the Inshore Fisheries Review Group (IFRG) who if appropriate will recommend the management plans to me for effective implementation. The Cockle fishery in Dundalk is currently closed and the most recent indications from an August 2008 cockle survey is that about 90% of the cockles in the bay are below the market size; additionally 1 and 2 year old cockles are poorly represented in the samples. On this basis it would not be expected to re-open the fishery in the short term.

The Dundalk Cockle Fishery also occurs in a Natura 2000 designated site. In this situation the opening of the fishery will have to have regard for the requirements in the EU Birds and Habitats Directives. My Department, and its agencies are working closely with the National Parks and Wildlife Service in developing an approach which will lead to this and other similarly impacted fisheries meeting the requirements of those directives.

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