Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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Question 360: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if, in view of the investment made and legitimate expectation, he intends to allow all boats that fished for Celtic Sea herring in the past five years that is 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009 and 2010 to participate in the fishery this year and in future years, accepting that the level of quota landed by an individual boat in a pair would be immaterial, with the record of any vessel being 50% of that of the total landed by a pair; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19615/11]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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The Celtic Sea herring fishery is important to the Irish fishing industry. For a number of years the Celtic Sea Herring Management Advisory Committee has played a vital role in recommending management arrangements which contributed to the re-building of the stock and is a great success for the Irish fishing industry. A representative of the Producer Organisations, the fishing co-operatives and of the processors were appointed to this Committee.

Following on from revised polyvalent mackerel management and fleet policy arrangements implemented in 2010, it is appropriate that the management arrangements for all herring fisheries be reviewed. To this end, I requested proposals from the fishing industry on the matter, including form the Celtic Sea Herring Management Advisory Committee. I have recently received these submissions and I will give them careful consideration. I intend to make a decision on the arrangements, which takes account of the views provided and the technicalities of the fisheries. In that regard, I will take account of issues relating to pairing arrangements, including the submissions made and the practical and legal arrangements in place in relation to quota management and pairing arrangements. Any new arrangement put in place will apply to the 2012 fishery.