Clare Daly (Dublin North, United Left)
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217. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine further to Parliamentary Question No. 236 of 15 April 2015, the way he can legitimately claim that the fishing industry alone will be directly impacted by the implementation of the landing obligation, when the impact on the environment is clear and urgent, and if therefore he will include environment non-governmental organisations in the discard implementation group, in recognition of this fact. [17613/15]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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I agree with the Deputy that the implementation of the landing obligation will have an impact on the environment through the ending of the wasteful practice of discarding carried out by all EU fleets fishing on stocks of interest to the Irish fishing industry. The new landing obligation will greatly help over time to underpin the sustainability of the Irish fishing industry and the coastal communities’ dependent upon it and lead to greater conservation of fish stocks to the benefit of all.

However, it is the fishing industry alone which will have to adapt its behaviour and practices in response to the implementation of the discard ban. It is the individual vessel operators who will have to abide by the new rules as they are phased in and who will ensure that the landing obligation is operated successfully. It is for that reason that the Discards Implementation Group, chaired by Dr Noel Cawley, is made up of fishing industry representatives and those who can provide expert advice such as the Marine Institute and Bord Iascaigh Mhara.

The key policy decisions with regard to the landing obligation e.g. what species are covered and when - have been and will continue to be made in the Regional Groups of Member States. Under the new Common Fisheries Policy the Regional Group mustconsult with the Advisory Councils (which include environmental NGO’s). I fully support this and Ireland, as current Chair of the North Western Waters Regional Group has ensured that representatives of the Advisory Council have attended every meeting of the Group and their views have been fully considered.

The purpose of the Discards Implementation Group is fundamentally different to that of the Regional Group of Member States. Primarily, it is to consider the potential impact of the decisions already made at the Regional level and to consider what practical changes will be required to fully implement them.

Consequently, I do not consider it necessary that environmental non-governmental organisations, which will not have any direct role in implementing the landing obligation, become part of the DIG. As I have said previously, I have ensured that such organisations are kept updated on the Group’s deliberations and this will remain the case.