Written answers

Wednesday, 26 May 2010

Department of Agriculture and Food

Common Fisheries Policy

10:30 am

Photo of Christy O'SullivanChristy O'Sullivan (Cork South West, Fianna Fail)
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Question 53: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food his priorities for the new Common Fisheries Policy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21848/10]

Photo of Brendan SmithBrendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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The European Commission issued a Green Paper on the reform of the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP) in April 2009 and sought responses to their proposals. Minister Killeen, who had responsibility for the Fisheries portfolio at that time, appointed Dr. Noel Cawley to chair a nationwide public consultation process. The result of these consultations contributed in no small way to Ireland's response to the Green Paper which issued on the 23rd of February. Our submission on the CFP reform sets down a number of informed recommendations which we believe must be incorporated into the new Common Fisheries Policy. They take a pragmatic approach, which promote measures that collectively take account of economic, social, environmental and sustainability factors. The report in its entirety and all formal submissions received during the public consultation process are available on www.fishingnet.ie.

Ireland's priorities for the new CFP are set out clearly in the submission. Central to those priorities are:-

New focus on addressing discarding of fish at sea with a complete ban being introduced for stocks in a depleted state;

The retention of a management system based on national quotas supported by increased flexibility and a rejection of the mandatory privatisation of fish quotas or the introduction of international trading of fish quotas;

Access to coastal waters to be re-examined with a view to an extension of the coastal limit to 20 miles with new management arrangements in place to strengthen coastal communities dependant on inshore coastal fisheries;

New measures to strengthen the market for EU producers and increase quay side prices;

Reinvigoration of European aquaculture with continued structural support and a roadmap that establishes a route for growth in harmony with Community environmental law.

New regional structure to decision making at EU level with increasing industry responsibility and the development of a culture of compliance.

Minister of State Sean Connick, T.D. attended a bilateral meeting with the Maria Damanaki, the new EU Commissioner for Fisheries and Maritime Affairs, on the 29th of March 2010. This meeting was arranged at his request to discuss the Report on "Ireland's Response" to the Commissions Green Paper on the Reform of the Common Fisheries Policy and to set out clearly Ireland's National position on the CFP reform. At this meeting many areas where we have common ground with the EU Commission were discussed, however, he made it quite clear that Ireland does not support the Commission's ideas expressed in the Green Paper which would allow our national fish quotas to be privatised and traded away to large European fishing companies. He stressed that Ireland's main objective in the Reform Process will be to protect the national fish quotas as a public resource to be used for the benefit of our family owned fleet and to support our coastal communities.

The Informal Meeting of Fisheries Ministers in Vigo, Spain at the start of this month was attended by Minister of State, Sean Connick TD. The purpose of the meeting was to discuss the reform of the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP), including a summary of the consultation process which was published by the Commission. During the informal meeting, Minister Connick set out Ireland's position for his Ministerial colleagues and heard their thoughts and the reasons for the approaches they are proposing. Minister Connick also availed of the opportunity to meet with Ministers that hold similar views on aspects of the reform in order to form alliances that will strengthen our case in the upcoming intensive negotiations on the CFP reform.

It is now clear that there are some divergent views on aspects of the reform process, but we are confident that we can work with our Ministerial colleagues and the EU Commission to produce a practical and effective policy for fisheries into the future. It is anticipated that a working document concerning reform options will be prepared by the Commission and presented at the Agriculture and Fisheries Council scheduled for the 28th/29th June 2010. Nationally, I intend to continue my close collaboration with the Federation of Irish Fishermen and the other stakeholders to put Ireland's case forward during the review, to vigorously defend Ireland's maritime interests, and to convince our Member State colleagues and the Commission to strengthen the current policy in line with Ireland's submission on the reform of the CFP.

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