Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Independent)
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To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the next stage of development regarding the mackerel negotiations between the EU and Norway with Iceland and the Faroe Islands; his views on the reason they have not succeeded to date; the way he will use Ireland’s Presidency of the Council of the EU to bring a remedy to the negotiations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [58201/12]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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Coastal States negotiations on mackerel management arrangements for 2013, involving, Norway, Iceland, the Faroe Islands and the EU (with the Russian Federation as observers) failed to reach agreement after 3 days of talks which started on the 22nd of October 2012 in London. There are no plans to reconvene these consultations and the EU and Norway as the recognised largest shareholders will set overall fishing limits based on the current scientific advice

This dispute has been ongoing since 2009 when Iceland who previously had little or no landings of mackerel embarked on an unapproved and irresponsible course of setting unilateral TACS culminating with a 150,000t in 2012. The Faroe Islands, who had previously participated with Norway and the EU in management arrangements then opted out of these arrangements and embarked on a similar exercise to Iceland, declaring a 150,000t TAC for themselves in 2012.

While accepting that the migratory pattern of mackerel has changed in recent years, and that a modest increase in shares of this stock for both Iceland and the Faroes is warranted, there is no scientific or historical justification why these two fishing nations should be fishing over 40% of this stock. Indeed their actions are now directly threatening the state of the stock and the current level of overfishing will result in cuts year on year in the TAC and quota. Indeed, the scientific advice for the stock involves a cut of 15% on last year’s recommended TAC, which I accept is necessary.

Despite numerous meetings convened since 2009 Iceland and the Faroe islands continue with their unjustifiable demands for shares of 15% while at the same time fishing 23% of the stock each. They have brought no realistic or fair proposals to the table, and at the conclusion of last October’s talks there was little evidence that this position would change in the short term.

A healthy mackerel stock is essential for the Irish pelagic fleet, pelagic processing industry and for employment in the wider coastal communities. The present situation is therefore of major concern to me and I have been consistently active in trying to find a way to bring about a fair and appropriate solution.

At the European Council of Fisheries Ministers, I will continue to take every opportunity to influence and convince all parties to resolve the issue not least because there is a real possibility of a stock collapse if catches are not reduced significantly.

In this context Ireland are currently hosting the EU/ Norway negotiations at the National Seafood Centre in Clonakilty this week, where it is expected that decisions on the TAC and quota will be made. However, only the EU and Norway will respect the TAC set. In these EU/ Norway negotiations, Ireland will be seeking joint measures from the EU and Norway including the possibility of trade sanctions to pressurise Iceland and the Faroe islands to stop their unsustainable fishing actions and come to the table with realistic and fair demands for sharing and management arrangements.