Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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446. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if his attention has been drawn to the difficulties facing the white fish sector; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29036/13]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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I am aware that the whitefish fishing fleet has been under pressure this year. In terms of available quota, the whitefish quotas for 2013 were down 1% from the 2012 quotas. However, the 2012 quotas represented a 3 % increase on the 2011 quotas. Accordingly, whitefish quota levels have remained relatively stable over the recent past with some 36,538 tonnes of whitefish available to the Irish fishing fleet.

Supplies of cod, in particular, to the EU market have increased significantly in 2013 reflecting the high quotas of cod in the Arctic Ocean and the increased availability has placed downward pressure on whitefish species generally. Prices have also been impacted by the situation of the EU economy and especially in Spain where the market for high end fish species, such as hake and monk, is reduced.

Bord Bia and BIM are available to support Irish fishermen to identify and pursue market opportunities. Bord Bia supports Irish seafood exporters who are continually working to diversify and broaden export opportunities and also to promote fish in the domestic market. BIM is supporting the industry during 2013 with a €5 million investment package involving €1.6 million in grant-aid for Ireland’s fisheries sector. This package covers a range of 150 environmental and conservation initiatives, quality schemes as well as local employment and coastal community support programmes.