Clare Daly (Dublin North, United Left)
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492. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine what actions he has taken to regulate dredge fisheries to halt widespread destruction of fragile sea-floor habitats such as in Blacksod Bay, which are supposedly protected; and if this is just another example of his Department prioritising commercial interests over environmental protection. [22355/15]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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A number of fisheries which involve the use of sea-bed impacting gear, including dredges, are under active regulation through legislation under the Sea-Fisheries and Maritime Jurisdiction Act, 2006 and, in the case of protected Natura 2000 sites, the European Union (Birds and Natural Habitats) (Sea-fisheries) Regulations 2013. These fisheries primarily target bivalve shellfish including mussel seed, razor clams, scallops and cockles.

With regard to protected sea-floor habitats, the Department is continuing to give a high priority to the risk assessment of sea-fisheries in accordance with the Programme of Measures in the Birds Case.  The Department has introduced a number of risk mitigation responses, particularly in the case of bivalve dredge fisheries, in order to fulfil Ireland’s obligations under the Birds and Habitats Directives for protected habitats and species.  These include precautionary closures of Natura 2000 sites to activities which require appropriate assessment; regulatory closures of sensitive features within Natura 2000 sites and requirements to report the location and nature of fishing activities, including the use of GPS monitoring devices.  Information on this work is publicly available on .

Stakeholder involvement in the process of regulating sea-fisheries is enshrined in both the Common Fisheries Policy and, in the case of Natura 2000 sites, the Aarhus Convention. In order to ensure that adequate opportunity for early and effective participation is provided, I announced the establishment of the National Inshore Fisheries Forum (NIFF) in May 2014. The NIFF delegates comprise the Chair and Vice Chair of six multi-stakeholder Regional Inshore Fisheries Forums (RIFFs) for which membership includes a broad spectrum of marine users, including environmental representatives. To date, the work programme for Natura 2000 sea-fisheries has featured highly on the agenda of the Inshore Forums and I must commend the NIFF delegates for their continued engagement on this complex issue. Natura 2000 sites such as Blacksod Bay include a variety of habitats and species, each with varying sensitivities and in introducing measures to manage sea-fisheries regard must be had to the specific conservation objectives for each habitat and species within the site. I have committed significant resources to implementing the work programme, including funding the costs of studies, surveys and GPS monitoring devices and the programme continues to draw heavily on the expertise of the Marine Institute, Bord Iascaigh Mhara and the Sea-Fisheries Protection Authority.