Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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167. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his plans for the future development and expansion of the fishing industry, with particular reference to fishing families who remain dependent on the sector; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32486/16]

Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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Food Wise 2025 recognises that in common with the broader food sector, the seafood industry will benefit from the projected increasing global demand for food produce over the coming decade. Current FAO estimates are that world consumption of fish will grow by an average annual consumption of 17 kg per person, per annum, resulting in a requirement for an extra 40 million tonnes of seafood by 2030.  Seafood will also benefit from the shift in global economic gravity towards the East, where there is a strong cultural preference for seafood.

To avail of this opportunity, Food Wise identifies 6 areas where we need to focus our efforts in the years ahead.  We must put sustainability at the heart of everything we do, add value to our raw material, develop scale in our processing sector, upskill our seafood workforce, increase our raw material supply and develop our markets.

In January this year, my predecessor Minister Coveney launched Ireland's new €240 million Operational Programme under the European maritime and Fisheries Fund.  This new investment programme will be the source of very significant investment supports for the seafood sector for the period up to 2020.  The Programme represents a doubling of previous support levels.

The Programme aims to support the seafood industry in meeting the challenges of the CFP and in sustainably growing production, value and employment in the seafood industry.  The Programme will focus on the same 6 areas identified in Food Wise and will be instrumental in our efforts to develop and adapt our seafood industry to take advantage of the economic and employment opportunities to come. 

The Programme is providing some €67 million for our fishing sector, €30 million for our aquaculture sector and €30 million for our seafood processing sector.  A further €12 million is being made available to significantly grow the Fisheries Local Action Group initiative to foster economic activity in fishing communities and some €10 million is available for blue growth and marine spatial planning initiatives. 

The majority of support schemes under the Programme are already underway in 2016, with a small number to follow in early 2017.  I expect that in the region of €20 million will be invested under the Programme in 2016 and I have secured a significant increase to €43 million in 2017.