Noel Harrington (Cork South West, Fine Gael)
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377. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his plans to introduce a decommissioning scheme in the fishing industry, in any or all sectors; the way these schemes will be advertised; the selection process and grounds to be included in any such scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19948/15]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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Under article 22 of the Common Fisheries Policy Regulation (1380/2013), Member States are required to prepare each year a Fleet Report examining the balance between fishing capacity in each fleet segment and corresponding fishing opportunities, with a view to identifying structural over-capacity in any fleet segment. Where such over-capacity is identified in the Fleet Report, an action plan must be included in the Report, specifying the adjustment targets necessary to restore balance and the tools that will be employed to achieve those targets. The most recently published Fleet Report for 2013 did not identify structural over-capacity in any of our fleet segments, and so no decommissioning is presently recommended. The Fleet Report for 2014 is being compiled at present and will be available shortly.

In accordance with article 34 of the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund Regulation (508/2014), a decommissioning scheme may only be introduced where it is foreseen as a tool of an action plan under article 22 of the CFP. While there is presently no action plan recommending decommissioning for any fleet segment, I included an indicative allocation of €10 million for decommissioning in the draft Seafood Development Programme I published for consultation on 27 March 2015. I will be finalising that Programme in the coming weeks and will take account of the conclusions of the 2014 Fleet Report in this regard. Should a decommissioning scheme be included, details concerning scheme design and implementation will be developed in the coming months.