Liz McManus (Wicklow, Labour)
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Question 919: To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if he will reconsider a total ban on eel fishing; if he will issue a comprehensive survey of eel stock here; his views on the eel fisheries that remain open across the EU; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11229/09]

Joe Costello (Dublin Central, Labour)
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Question 926: To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if he will review the proposals he has made to the EU regarding eel fishing; if he will involve all the stakeholders in consultation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12095/09]

Seán Power (Kildare South, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 919 and 926 together.

Following scientific research conducted by the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES), indicating that the European eel stocks are in a critical state, the EU introduced Council Regulation 1100/2007, the objective of which is to achieve recovery of the stocks to previous high levels. The Regulation requires the Irish authorities to prepare a national Eel Management Plan for implementation from 1 July 2009 or from the earliest possible time before that date.

The EU target is clearly defined in the Regulation where it states that the objective of each Member State's Eel Management Plan shall be to reduce anthropogenic mortalities so as to permit with high probability the escapement to sea of at least 40% of the silver eel biomass relative to the best estimate of escapement that would have existed if no anthropogenic influences had impacted the stock. Ireland's level of escapement is currently estimated at only 24%. When the last 20 years of poor recruitment is taken into account, I am advised that it is likely that the adult eel stock in Irish waters will continue to decline for at least the next decade.

The Irish eel fishery harvests approximately 100 tonnes per annum and I understand that there are up to 150 fishermen who hold a maximum of 296 licences, not all of which are actively fished. There is some evidence that catches have been declining over recent years because of the status of stocks and elver recruitment is very low. Eel fishing is not a full time occupation and it is restricted, depending on the type of fish being targeted, to certain months of the year and times of the lunar cycle in the case of migrating silver eels.

The decision to cease the eel fishery was taken, based on the best management and scientific advice available (the nature of which I have elaborated on in replies to recent Parliamentary Questions), as a conservation measure to support a recovery of the stock in the shortest time possible, which if all measures proposed are adopted and if the EU Member States adopt a similar conservative approach, could be as long as 90 years (i.e. an average of 4 eel generations). A partial closure of the fishery or a more relaxed approach to the other management measures would have extended this recovery period to a very significant extent.

I am not aware of the content of the plans, as yet largely unpublished, submitted by other Member States in response to their obligations under the EC Regulation. Over the coming months, these, along with Ireland's draft plan, have to be evaluated by the European Commission as to their adequacy in delivering the objectives of the Eel Regulation. Clearly the status of stocks in other Member States will differ from that of Ireland's depending on local conditions and therefore their plans may make different recommendations. All must, however, clearly demonstrate how they would achieve the targets necessary for recovery of the European eel stocks.

Under the Regulation, all aspects of the Plan must be reviewed in 2012. This review will consider, inter alia, whether the eel fishery and market could be reopened in any River Basin District in light of the data gathered in the interim and the performance of stocks. The national plan submitted to the EU includes a comprehensive programme of monitoring and evaluation of management actions and their implementation. It also includes a programme of scientific eel stock assessment to establish a stock baseline, estimate current silver eel escapement and monitoring the impact of the management actions on the local stocks. The Department has committed funding to stock assessment for the 2009 programme, which will be a collaborative effort between the relevant State agencies and include appropriate stakeholders participation.

Insofar as previous stakeholder involvement is concerned, once the EU guidance on the Regulation was available, a fact sheet prepared by the working group established to prepare Ireland's National Eel Management Plan was circulated to all interested parties by the Regional Fisheries Boards in March 2008. The elected eel representatives on the Regional Fisheries Boards were kept informed by the fisheries boards' officials on progress towards preparation of the eel management plan. A number of conservation measures were introduced by way of bye-laws in May 2008. A public consultation exercise was undertaken on the draft Eel Management Plans from 1 August 2008. Information meetings were organised in each region by the Regional Fisheries Boards.

The consultation period ended on 15 September 2008 and some 16 submissions were received. These were largely from eel fishermen representatives and, while acknowledging the decline in stocks, sought to continue fishing regardless. Three eel fishing representatives joined the Working Group in October 2008. I met with eel fishermen's representatives prior to and since the submission of the national plan to the EU Commission and have assured them of the prospects for their future participation in aspects of its implementation and review of the performance of the fishery.