Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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Question 1139: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will review the decision to abolish the fishing rights of a fishing vessel (details supplied). [19127/12]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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The fishing vessel referred to by the Deputy had a polyvalent licence and has access to fish stocks in accordance with the policy in place for relevant fish stocks, including mackerel and herring. The vessel has not been licensed by the Sea Fishing Boat Licensing Authority since September 2010. In relation to mackerel, the Minister introduced new management arrangements in late 2010 following a long and detailed consultation process with the fishing industry. Mackerel allocations were made available to vessel owners based on track record from the two best years 2007, 2008, 2009. Vessels were allocated an individual allocation of mackerel based on having caught more than 35% of the mackerel allocated to them in an average of 2 of the reference years. In order to qualify for Tier 1 allocations, a vessel had to have landed more than an average of 275 tonnes of mackerel per year. To qualify for a Tier 2 allocation, a vessel had to have landed more than 25 tonnes of mackerel per year. The vessel referred to by the Deputy did not have the necessary track record. Prior to the introduction of the new management arrangements, the vessel would have qualified as an "Under 65ft" vessel for participation in the mackerel fishery. The Sea Fisheries Protection Authority has provided details of mackerel landings by the vessel in question since 2000. The records show that the vessel landed over the 11 year period 2000 to 2010 in total 29 tonnes of mackerel and landed less than 1 tonne of mackerel in total in the reference years 2007, 2008 and 2009.

The vessel in question qualifies for participation in the herring fisheries in the Celtic Sea or in the North West under the management arrangements that have been in place over recent years. The Sea Fisheries Protection Authority has provided details of herring landings by the vessel in question since 2000. The records show that the vessel landed over the 11 year period 2000 to 2010 in total 17 tonnes of herring and landed less than 1 tonne of herring in total since 2006 (2007 – 2010). In relation to herring fisheries, I am currently concluding a full review of the management arrangements for herring which has involved a detailed consultation with industry.