Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry South, Independent)
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651. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the position regarding the future of the white fish sector; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55554/13]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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My overarching goal for the Irish Fishing Industry and for white fish dedicated fishermen is to ensure that we build a sustainable, profitable and self reliant fishing industry which protects and enhances the social and economic fabric of rural coastal communities dependent on the seafood sector. I believe that this can be achieved in the context of the reformed EU Common Fisheries Policy (CFP) which places long term sustainability at its core. The reform of the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP) was secured after many months of extremely complex negotiations with the European Parliament and is a significant achievement of the Irish EU Presidency. This radical reform will support the rebuilding of fish stocks in our waters as Total Allowable Catches (TACs) and quotas are set to deliver maximum sustainable yield by 2015, where possible and by 2020 for all stocks and the wasteful practice of discarding fish is phased out. In order to support the introduction of the obligation to land all catches, the reform provides that where the discards ban is introduced, TACs and quotas will be fixed taking into account the change from setting TACs that reflect landings to setting them to reflect catches on the basis that for the first and subsequent years, discarding of that stock will no longer be allowed.

The whitefish quotas agreed at the December Fisheries Council involves a reduction from 36,674 tonnes to 33,266 tonnes for 2014. While some of the quotas for whitefish stocks were reduced in the Celtic Sea, this reflected the scientific advice of poor recruitment into the stocks of cod, haddock and whiting, the cuts were required to take account of the scientific advice. I opposed a proposal from the EU Commission for a 24% reduction in the economically important prawn (nephrops) quotain the Irish Sea and off the south and west coast. I sought a roll over of the nephrops TAC and in the final outcome negotiated the Commission proposed 24% cut down to a 9% reduction which while not welcome reflected a more balanced recognition of the scientific concerns about the state of stock in certain areas. For other whitefish stocks such as the economically important hake and monkfish, significantly increased quotas were secured reflecting the positive scientific advice for these stocks. In addition, part of the whitefish fleet operating in the Celtic Sea will benefit from the increase of 30% in the Celtic Sea herring quota, the 14% increase in the albacore tuna quota and the expected increase in the mackerel quota.

While I am conscious that the available whitefish quotas for our fishing fleet were reduced for 2014, the level of the cuts agreed at the EU Fisheries Council were significantly below those proposed by the EU Commission. While the reduction in available whitefish quotas will impact on some vessels dependant on whitefish catches, I have over the past two years been pursuing a strategy to increase value added in the seafood sector and this strategy, implemented through BIM, is intended to support Irish fishermen to maximise the value of their catch and present top quality fish to prime markets. Significant opportunity exists for improvement in this area and BIM is assisting the industry to be more innovative; to improve product quality and other standards; to develop environmental management systems (EMS); and to engage in accreditation programmes that lead towards recognised and accepted eco labels and responsible fishing brands. BIM will continue to support, in 2014, the industry to achieve these objectives.