Written answers

Tuesday, 30 June 2015

Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources

Inland Fisheries

Photo of John McGuinnessJohn McGuinness (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail)
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648. To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources his plans to introduce a compensation package for licensed eel fishermen and dealers; if he has had any meetings with representatives of this group of fishermen; if so, if he will outline their concerns and his response; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25687/15]

Photo of Joe McHughJoe McHugh (Donegal North East, Fine Gael)
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While I have met with a number of delegations representing eel fishermen in recent months, my office has no record of a meeting involving the person referred to in the Question or a request for such a meeting.

A full 30 day public consultation process on Ireland's eel Management Plan, under EU Regulation 1100/2007, closed on 17 June. Under this process all stakeholders could avail of the opportunity to make a written submission to Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI). To assist the consultation process a number of documents were made publically available:

- The activity report of the statutorily independent Standing Scientific Committee on Eels;

- IFI’s three year monitoring report 2012 to 2014; and

- Ireland’s Eel Regulation Report to the EU 2015.

The documents were intended to encourage an exchange of views within the public consultation for the 2015 review during which a range of issues were raised in written submission and are currently being considered. I intend to make the full details of the outputs of the public consultation available shortly. Similar reviews are being carried out across EU Member States as the eel stock has radically declined throughout Europe.

In parallel with the public consultation, an information meeting for stakeholders was held in Athlone on 10 June, ahead of the deadline for written submission.

I am advised by Inland Fisheries Ireland that there is no record of receipt of a written submission from the person referred to in the Question.

Insofar as the issue of compensation is concerned, I refer to the reply Question No. 637 of 25 June, 2015.

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