Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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169. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he is satisfied that all countries, EU and non-EU alike, have committed sufficiently to fisheries conservation policies; the way this affects this country and the European Union in general; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48762/13]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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The scope of the new Common Fisheries Policy is the conservation of marine biological resources and the management of fisheries and fleets exploiting such resources. The reform of the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP) was secured during the Irish Presidency following many months of complex negotiations involving the European Commission, the European Parliament, all European Member States and relevant stakeholders. Its adoption was unanimously supported by all 27 Member States and this agreement will apply from 1 January 2014.

The agreement is designed to ensure the long term sustainability of fishing in Ireland and throughout EU waters, based on best scientific advice, thus committing to fisheries conservation policies and ensuring the long term viability of our fishing sector.

This radical reform places the concept of long term sustainability at the core of fisheries policy and will lead to a new era of more sustainable fishing. It will support the rebuilding of fish stocks both in Irish and all EU waters and end the wasteful practice of discarding by introducing a practical and phased discards policy.

I consider that with the new CFP, Member States of the European Union have unequivocally committed to robust fisheries conservation policies. With regard to non-EU countries, there are obligations under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and the Food & Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) whereby contracting parties are obliged to take certain conservation and management measures to protect marine biological resources. I believe that the new CFP will be a template for strengthening those international obligations in the years to come.