Brendan Griffin (Kerry South, Fine Gael)
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126. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if a scallop entitlement on a licensed fishing boat (details supplied) in County Kerry will be decommissioned; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42182/15]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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I assume that the Deputy is referring to the decommissioning of a sea fishing boat. Ireland secured €147.6 million in EU funds from the European Maritime Fisheries Fund which together with the allocation of national funds provides for a €241 million investment programme as set out in the Seafood Development Programme; formal approval by the EU Commission is expected in December. Under the EMFF, decommissioning may only be introduced in respect of fleet metiers identified in the national Fleet Report as out of balance and as submitted to the EU Commission. Under the Programme some €16m has been earmarked for a decommissioning scheme for the 12 to 24m polyvalent vessels impacted by the landing obligation. It is planned to develop a scheme in the early part of 2016 and this scheme will be subject to consultation and approval by stakeholders through the Monitoring Committee for the Programme.

Finian McGrath (Dublin North Central, Independent)
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127. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the steps he is taking to ensure that the Annelles Ilena, the largest fishing vessel in the world, and the Margiris, the second largest fishing vessel in the world, are in compliance with the rules of the Common Fisheries Policy, and if independent observers are on-board the two vessels; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42188/15]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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Control of the vessel within Ireland’s Exclusive Fisheries Zone is a matter for the Irish control authorities who monitor fishing activity of all vessels operating the area.  The Control authorities have on-going information in relation to the vessels operating in the Irish Exclusive Fisheries zone including their activities and characteristics. Under the Sea Fisheries and Maritime Jurisdiction Act, 2006, all operational issues of this nature concerning sea fisheries control are, as a matter of law, exclusively for the Sea Fisheries Protection Authority (SFPA) and the Naval Service. As Minister, I am precluded from getting involved in operational matters including in relation to law enforcement. In relation to the overall framework for fisheries control in the EU, in October 2009 a new regulation dealing with fisheries controls was adopted. Council Regulation 1224/2009 establishes a Community control system for ensuring compliance with the rules of the common fisheries policy. Control and inspection is now focused where it is most effective through an approach based on systematic risk analysis. Inspection procedures are standardised and harmonised for all stages in the market chain, including transport and marketing.  The Control Regulations were introduced so that there is a common EU level playing field and to provide for an effective range of controls across EU waters.

One of the key elements of the reformed Common Fisheries Policy is the introduction of a phased ban on the discarding of unwanted fish catches. The first part of the landing obligation, the ban on discarding pelagic stocks such as herring and mackerel, came into effect on the 1st of January 2015. The EU Commission adopted a Delegated Regulation (EU) No 1393/2014 on 20 October 2014 which implements a discard plan for certain pelagic fisheries in north-western waters in line with the recommendation of the North West Waters Member States Group. A Control Experts Group from the North West Waters Regional Group of Member States has been set up and has produced a draft set of recommendations on additional control measures for the pelagic sector in respect of the landing obligation in pelagic fisheries. These draft recommendations have been sent to the Pelagic Advisory Council and the North Western Advisory Council in accordance with article 18 of the CFP basic regulation (EU No 1380/2013) for their observations.

The draft recommendations are being considered by the NWW Member States Group. The measures recommended by the Control experts cover a range of actions including the use of cameras or other remote sensing equipment on all large pelagic vessels, both freezer vessels and our own RSW (Refrigerated Seawater Tank vessels) to support the landing obligation. It also recommends control observers “for individual trips to address dynamically – assessed risks of a more transient nature.” It is important to note that the flag Member State would be responsible for placing control observers on its vessels. I consider that any strengthened control measures must provide tools to both the flag Member State and the coastal Member State to better monitor and control fishing activities. We will continue to work closely with the North Western Waters Member States to identify the control actions that are most useful so that the landing obligation is fully respected.