Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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Question 67: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food the research that is being carried out by the Marine Institute; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22086/10]

Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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The Marine Institute (MI) is the national agency with responsibility for Marine Research, Technology Development and Innovation (RTDI). The Institute was established under the 1991 Marine Institute Act. The role of the MI is to promote the sustainable development of the marine industry through strategic funding programmes and essential scientific services that safeguard the marine environment through research and environmental monitoring. The Institute identifies and updates marine research and development priorities and gap areas on an on-going basis. The Marine Institute's current priority research activities are set out below.

Advice on Fish Stocks Through the compilation of the annual Stock Book the MI provides fisheries scientific assessments and advice essential to the support of negotiations under the annual fisheries, TAC and quota negotiations and the upcoming Review of the Common Fisheries Policy. MI researchers are at the leading edge in international scientific activity to incorporate the ecosystem approach to fisheries management as required under new EU environmental legislation.

Seafood Safety & Scientific Monitoring The MI provides the coast-wide seafood safety and scientific monitoring programmes to certify the safety status of our exports. The MI is also involved in research to improve screening technology and to gain knowledge about the origin and precise nature of key natural toxins in the Irish marine environment.

Sea Change Through Sea Change – A Marine Knowledge, Research & Innovation Strategy for Ireland 2007-2013, the Institute, as implementing body, brings together industry, higher education institutions and government bodies to drive development of the marine sector as a dynamic element of the smart economy. The research initiatives include three major national programmes in the areas of biotechnology, advanced technology research and ocean energy.

SmartBay The SmartBay project prioritises and facilitates the identification, testing and development of next generation marine and environmental technologies.

INFOMAR INFOMAR is the national marine mapping programme developed to facilitate planning the sustainable development of Ireland's 220 million acres underwater.

Natura 2000 Data Collection On behalf of the DAFF the Marine Institute, in partnership with National Parks and Wildlife (NPDS), has commenced a programme of baseline data collection of Natura 2000 sites. This data will enable the setting of conservation objectives under the Habitats and Birds Directives by NPWS, and will also be used by the Marine Institute to carry out appropriate assessments of aquaculture and inshore fisheries sites.

EU Marine Research Programmes The Marine Institute operates a European Desk which is aimed at supporting Irish marine researchers (academic and industry) to target significant EU research Grant-aid under the Framework 7 and Interreg Programmes in the marine area.