Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 186: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food his plans to develop the fishing industry in a way which is sympathetic to the needs of coastal counties and fishing families; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45596/10]

Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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In July 2010, together with Minister Connick, I launched the Bord Iascaigh Mhara 2010-2012 Strategy - 'Delivering on the Potential of Irish Seafood', and the Government's Irish National Seafood Programme 2007-2013. These two documents encapsulate Government's plans for developing the seafood industry in the next few years.

The BIM Strategy, drafted in consultation with the Irish seafood industry, will bring innovative, developmental and financial benefits to both the sector and the economy as a whole. It concentrates on avenues to deliver essential developmental services to a seafood industry undergoing rapid and unparalleled change. The strategy sets down over 70 detailed actions under four key themes that underpin the opportunities for the Irish seafood sector. It is anticipated that the strategy will be central to creating some 600 additional jobs across the Irish seafood sector, in addition to developing an extra €50 million in value added seafood sales through processes such as the differentiation of some 40,000 tonnes of seafood products as eco-labelled and of Irish origin worth approximately €120 million, the increase in aquaculture production capacity by approximately 10,000 metric tonnes valued at an estimated €18 million in new sales together with delivering some 3,500 training places to the seafood sector in over 30 coastal locations annually. The strategy is geared toward improving the seafood sector's performance through difficult and challenging times by assisting industry through focused support programmes.

The Irish National Seafood Programme 2007-2013 provides Exchequer funded support to the seafood sector to develop new products and processes through enhanced innovation that adds value to products, while maintaining and improving environmental and food quality standards with improved cost efficiency. Grants totalling €1.91 million have been made available to 19 seafood projects in both the processing and aquaculture sectors under the Programme, for investment projects worth €6.5million.

In addition, the separate Seafood Development Operational Programme 2007-2013, jointly funded by the Exchequer and the EU, provides financial support in a number of areas. In 2010, grants were made available under three schemes. Under the Marine Environment Protection Measure, grants of €426,000 were made available to 9 projects. Under the Seafood Environmental Management & Certification Scheme, grants of €350,000 were made to 7 projects, involving 159 vessels and under the Shellfish Discard & Live Reduction Scheme, grants of €113,000 were made to assist up to 42 inshore fishermen associations to v-notch up to 15,000 lobsters. Further additional measures are planned for the remaining years of the Operational Programme, subject to availability of funding.