Joe McHugh (Donegal North East, Fine Gael)
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Question 47: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food his plans to meet the EU Fisheries Commissioner, Maria Damanaki; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7712/11]

Joe McHugh (Donegal North East, Fine Gael)
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Question 52: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he will meet the EU Fisheries Commissioner, Maria Damanaki, to discuss the reform of the Common Fisheries Policy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7713/11]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 47 and 52 together.

Following my appointment as Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine on 9 March, I immediately sought a meeting with Commissioner Damanaki in order to discuss Ireland's priorities regarding the Reform of the Common Fisheries Policy and indeed other items of key importance for the Irish fishing industry. It is important from the perspective of furthering Ireland's priorities that I build up a close working relationship with the Commissioner, so I see this as an opportunity to develop a rapport and connect in a meaningful way with Commissioner Damanaki. I welcome the fact that the Commissioner has agreed to participate in a bilateral meeting with me tomorrow, Thursday 14 April, in Luxembourg. I expect to have a frank and forthright discussion with her on the reform of the CFP, from an Irish perspective, and to reiterate our concerns as outlined to me at my meeting with industry representatives on 30 March.

From an Irish perspective, our long-term priority is to have a strong, sustainable and profitable seafood industry that supports fishing and related economic activities in our coastal communities. I will be taking this opportunity to demonstrate the importance to Ireland of retaining quotas as a public good, hence ensuring the economic returns are kept within our coastal communities, protecting jobs and our social infrastructure. I want to explain our dependence on the Hague preferences, why they were introduced and, crucially, why they must be reflected in the new CFP. The issue of discards is high on the reform agenda, with the Commissioner giving it her top priority. I want to assure her of Ireland's desire and my personal commitment to address this wasteful and unacceptable practice.

From a practical viewpoint, we need to look at the reform timetable and the implications it will have for the Irish Presidency, which commences in January 2013.

I also want to use this opportunity to discuss the implications of the current disagreement with Iceland and the Faroe Islands on the management of the North East Atlantic mackerel stock. Economically, mackerel is Ireland's most important fishery, and it is critical for the long term stability of our pelagic fleet and the processing industry that depends on mackerel. The declarations for 2011 of both Iceland and the Faroes are that they intend to continue fishing unilaterally, outside international agreement and safe biological limits. Their actions are irresponsible, untenable and a serious threat to the well-being of the stock that has been built up by prudent management over a number of stable years under a Coastal States framework. I want to press on the Commissioner the need to take strong action now, including the possibility of trade sanctions to bring pressure to bear on these two parties to come to the table with reasonable demands and agree a long-term management framework for mackerel.

I look forward to a positive and constructive meeting with Commissioner Damanaki. I will endeavour to give her a full understanding of Ireland's priorities for both the reform and for the coming months.