Arthur Spring (Kerry North-West Limerick, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his views on the recent provisional deal to reshape the common fisheries policy and the aim to reform the eradication of discards; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47854/12]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

Discarding is a global problem and a complex one, where unwanted catches are returned to the sea as a result of a number of factors including quota restrictions, high grading, minimum landing sizes, and market conditions.

Ireland has been to the forefront in the drive to reduce and eliminate discards for many years and have taken a number of initiatives to this aim. I launched an Irish “discard” atlas last year, 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. This was the first publication of its kind and places Ireland firmly to the fore in the debate on eliminating discards.

Finding practical and implementable solutions to the wasteful practice of discarding fish is a major priority issue for me. It is all the more poignant as it is a major principle of the new reform of the CFP. Since taking up office as Marine Minister, I have worked tirelessly to influence and drive a change in policy which will lead to an end to discarding.

I am conscious that any solution must be practical for fishermen and with that in mind I have worked closely with Commissioner Damanaki, my fellow Fisheries Ministers and members of the European Parliament in addition to consulting with our industry at home to ensure that proposals in the Common Fishery Policy to tackle discards would be workable and take account of the practical realities that would face fishermen at sea.

At the Council of Fisheries Ministers in June this year, I helped broker a general agreement among fisheries Ministers on the way forward for the reform of the Common Fisheries Policy including innovate measures to tackle the discard problem.

Discarding was the most contentious element of those discussions and threatened to block the Council’s efforts to reach agreement. A compromise approach which I tabled for consideration setting down a definitive timetable for the elimination of discards on a phased basis, offered a practical and progressive solution on the issue which was accepted by fellow Ministers. We are awaiting the EU Parliament’s position on the reform, including in relation to its approach to dealing with discards.

I will prioritise securing final agreement between the EU Fisheries Council and the Parliament on the CFP during the Irish Presidency during the first half of 2013.