Martin Ferris (Kerry North-West Limerick, Sinn Fein)
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To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the reason a person (details supplied) was not re-allocated the excess quota [55356/12]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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At the close of the first management period in the Celtic Sea herring sentinel fishery on 30 November last, this vessel did not appear to qualify based on individual landings for the second management period. The Sea-Fisheries Protection Authority confirmed on 4 December last that this vessel, based on pairing arrangements, did land the required amount in the first management period and so the vessel was included in the second management period. A quota notification for this vessel issued on 4 December 2012. In relation to the requirement to land 50% of the first period allocation to qualify for the second fishing period, I received a large number of appeals due to a variety of reasons such as bad weather, mechanical breakdown and size. A number of small inshore vessels had advised that they were unable to participate due to their size, weather conditions and the location of the stock. In view of this, I have decided to vary the management arrangements to remove the 50% landing requirement. In order to implement an effect management regime for the remainder of the fishery, I decided that any vessel which has booked in shall receive an allocation for a two-week period from 00:01 on 9 December 2012 to 00.01 on 21 December 2012.