Noel Harrington (Cork South West, Fine Gael)
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Question 31: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the response he has received from the European Commission in relation to the recently published discard atlas; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38943/11]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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On 8 November, I launched an Irish "discard" atlas, which is a detailed compendium of discards by the Irish Fleet on a stock by stock and area by area basis. The Atlas, compiled and produced by the Marine Institute and Bord Iascaigh Mhara with the support of Irish Industry, outlines a range of potential measures to help reduce discarding. I sent a copy of the Atlas to Commissioner Damanaki.

This is the first publication of its kind and places Ireland firmly to the fore in the debate on eliminating discards. The atlas will inform the process to achieve real change and a significant reduction in discarding within the new Common Fisheries Policy, identifies where action needs to be taken, and the potential measures that could be adopted.

The information provided in the Atlas is based on information that is collected by and available to all Member States. I asked Commissioner Damanaki, in the interests of tackling the discards problem appropriately, to encourage other Member States to make this type of information available in a similar format to inform the current discussions on this critical element of the new CFP.

Commissioner Damanaki has responded and has identified the Atlas as an excellent initiative in finding an effective solution to the wasteful practice of discarding. She advised that she sees the Atlas as a positive step and considers that it would be useful for other Member States to have such information collated. She also welcomes the inclusion of a number of potential measures in the publication to reduce discarding and expresses her commitment to working to eliminate discards under the Reform of the Common Fisheries Policy.

I will continue to work both nationally and in the context of the reform of the CFP to pursue actions that will ensure that the shared objective of all to address the discards problem is giving priority.