John Paul Phelan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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Question 194: To ask the Minister for Agriculture; Fisheries and Food the position regarding the importance of reforms to the Common Fisheries Policy in economic revitalization of coastal communities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17757/11]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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The Common Fisheries Policy (CFP) is the fisheries policy of the European Union which was first put in place in 1983 and has been subject to reviews every 10 years, the most recent was in 2002 and the next reform is scheduled for adoption in the latter half of 2012.

The reformed CFP is a critical policy issue for Ireland as it will shape the strategic blueprint for the European fishing industry for the next decade. The CFP impacts on the social, economic and environmental pillars of the wider seafood industry and the proposals will hold both opportunities and risks for Ireland.

My overarching goal for the new CFP is for a sustainable, profitable and self-reliant industry that protects and enhances the social and economic fabric of rural coastal communities dependent on the seafood sector, while balancing these objectives with the need to deliver a sustainable and eco-centred fisheries landscape for future generations.

The key features of interest to Ireland will include:-

Retention of the Hague Preferences;

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;

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

In the current economic climate, we need a policy that both simplifies and reduces the administrative burden while at the same time strengthens and supports the industry's capacity to maximise employment in coastal community's dependent on fishing.

In particular, I will be pursuing initiatives that will deliver and sustain jobs in coastal communities rather than those that promote the concentration of wealth and delivery of excessive profits for a few big international businesses.

The Hague Preferences are a major priority for me as they deliver additional shares of quotas for key whitefish stocks around our coast. These additional quota shares are essential for the economic viability of our whitefish fleet and I will fight any interference that results in Ireland losing these benefits.

Currently, we have approximately 5,000 jobs in our fleet, with another 2,900 employed in our processing plants with around 1,200 employed in ancillary support industries. These jobs are dependent on Irish quotas being landed into Irish ports. Any change to this would seriously jeopardise the ongoing viability of these jobs with disastrous consequences. Therefore, my focus will remain in opposing measures that could threaten this important sector for the Irish economy while proposing and supporting measures that will create more employment and generate more opportunities for the processing sector.

Clearly, the health and long-term sustainability of the fish stocks around our shores are fundamental to a thriving fishing and processing sector. In that context I have been very active in the debate to eliminate the damaging and wasteful practice of discarding. I have been promoting practical and pragmatic measures which can demonstrably deliver on the shared objective of elimination of discards, while importantly having the maximum possible level of "buy in" from the industry. It is my firm belief that a "tool box" of flexible measures that can be implemented, where appropriate, on a fishery by fishery basis, is the best possible option.

To deliver on Ireland's overall objectives, I am seeking additional funding for measures: to develop and secure a sustainable European fishing and aquaculture industry; to support industry as it adapts its fleet to make it more competitive; to promote measures to protect and enhance the environment; and to help fisheries communities most affected by the resulting changes to diversify their economic base and to implement new measures on discards, technical measures, environmental compliance and restructuring. I am also seeking new and additional funding for research and fisheries control.