Pearse Doherty (Donegal South West, Sinn Fein)
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172. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine further to Parliamentary Question No. 207 of 13 March 2014, the composition of the monthly meetings between his officials and industry; the organisations represented at the meetings; the way the composition of attendees at the meetings was determined; if he is satisfied that the meetings are representative; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14600/14]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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The monthly whitefish meetings are organised in accordance with a formal written protocol which I put in place in November 2013. This protocol provides that the Committee will comprise representatives from each recognised Producer Organisation (PO), the Irish Fish producers and Exporters Association (IFPEA), the Sea Fisheries Protection Authority and the Department. The meeting will be chaired by a Department representative. Each of the Producer Organisations (PO) and the IFPEA are represented by a single attendee and in addition each organisation may invite one observer to the meeting. It is practice that the POs have usually one representative of a fisheries co-operative at these meetings as an invitee. Where representatives or observers have business interests related to the fishery / quota under discussion, they must advise the meeting of that business interests when giving a view on management issues.

Producer organisations, are officially approved bodies set up by fishery producers under EU Regulation and play an essential role in supporting the objectives of the Common Fisheries Policy. The POs role involves guiding their members towards sustainable fishing and aquaculture, helping them match supplies with market demands, and supporting them in creating added value. Recognition of PO is governed by Regulation (EU)No 1379/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council & Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) No 1419/2013.

It is in the interest of the industry as a whole that appropriately recognised organisations represent their interests to deliver a co-ordinated and cohesive view for the benefit of the industry. I consider that this would be very difficult if representation was at the individual level or fragmented amongst a large number of smaller ad hoc representatives groups .