Mary Butler (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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1507. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the amount of the sentinel herring fish quota that was left at 31 December 2015 (details supplied). [24567/16]

Mary Butler (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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1508. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will extend the second autumn 2015 management period to 31 January 2016 for vessels with a qualifying track record. [24568/16]

Mary Butler (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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1509. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will consider reviewing the 2016 autumn herring fishery management periods to take cognisance of the bad weather that will potentially be experienced in December and allow the 2016 quota be caught within a practical timeframe by the smaller boats; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24569/16]

Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 1507 to 1509, inclusive, together.

The Celtic Sea Sentinel Herring Fishery is a small boat, under 17 metres in length, herring fishery operating in an area off the South East Coast known as the Dunmore Box. This is an open access fishery and track record is not considered an appropriate management tool for the small operators in this fishery. The Ministerial policy for Celtic Sea Herring was adopted in 2012 after more than a year of intensive consultations with stakeholders.

The 2015 quota for the Sentinel fishery was 2,212 tonnes, however only 990 tonnes were landed due to bad weather. Because of the low catches in the Sentinel Fishery in 2015 and at the request of the National Inshore Fisheries Forum (NIFF) for increased fishing opportunities for the inshore fleet in 2016, I proposed on an exceptional basis, a once off increase of 500 tonnes for this fishery for 2016. I sought the views of stakeholders. In all instances, the views received fully supported the proposal. I have accordingly transferred 500 tonnes from the Main Fisheries allocation to the Sentinel fishery for 2016.

This increase of 500 tonnes will not involve any change on Ministerial policy on the management of the Celtic Sea Herring fishery as this proposal will only be applicable to 2016. The total allocation to the sentinel fishery for 2016 is now 2,380 tonnes. In January 2016, a 3 week sentinel fishery operated, which recorded landings of 535 tonnes. The available balance for the autumn is 1,845 tonnes.

I asked the Celtic Sea Herring Management Advisory Committee (CSHMAC ), which represents the fishing industry, to take cognisance of the impact of the opening dates on the Sentinel fishery in 2015 when making its recommendation to me for this year. The Committee has advised that in its experience of the fishery, the herring stock does not come close enough inshore for the small sentinel vessels to catch it until around early November. The Committee has considered all the issues and I have receive d this week its formal advice; I am currently considering this.