Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

571. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine further to the announcement by the British government on accessing British waters as per the 1964 treaty, his views on the potential impact this will have on Ireland's fishing industry; if he and his departmental officials have met to discuss the issue; if he has sought a meeting with his British counterpart; the actions he will be taking to protect Ireland's fishing industry; the extra supports that will be made available; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32338/17]

Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The action by the UK in announcing its withdrawal from the 1964 London Fisheries Convention was not unexpected.  The UK Government had been intimating this decision for some time now.  It is nonetheless unwelcome and unhelpful as it suggests a signal of the UK intent to take a hard line on fisheries in the context of Brexit.

There are no immediate direct impacts for the Irish fishing industry from this action as it will not take effect for two years.  Any longer term impacts will only become clear in the overall context of the Brexit negotiations. It is the message of intent and the potential implications of that intent in the wider 12 to 200 mile zone that causes concern for the negotiations to come.

As Michel Barnier noted after the UK announcement, the decision to withdraw from the London Fisheries Convention will not trigger any immediate change and he is focused on prioritising the fisheries interests of the EU 27.

This will not be a piecemeal negotiation with fisheries isolated from the wider negotiations on a post Brexit EU/UK relationship. There is a long way to go yet and nothing will be agreed until everything is agreed. 

For this Government there are two clear objectives when it comes to fisheries and Brexit – the maintenance of our existing quota shares and our existing rights of access. These have, and will continue to be, my overriding priorities.

To achieve these objectives, we must have unity of purpose across the Member States directly concerned and across the fishing industry. Disunity will only strengthen those in the UK that seek to exclude all EU fleets.

I spoke with Secretary of State Michael Gove last week and stressed to him the importance of long established fishing patterns by the Irish fishing fleet and the importance of these being acknowledged and protected in the context of Brexit.  I have previously discussed fisheries issues amongst other matters with his predecessor as Secretary of State, Andrea Leadsom, on two separate occasions.  I have also discussed Fisheries, with a particular focus on the London Fishing Convention along with general access issues with Minister George Eustice during a meeting at the Luxembourg Agriculture Council on 3 April.

In terms of support for the sector, my Department’s €240 million EMFF Fund Operational Programme for the seafood sector will assist the seafood sector to develop Brexit mitigation measures.  The Programme provides €5 million to Bord Bia to supplement its normal seafood promotion work programme and this is allowing Bord Bia to have an Irish pavilion at many additional seafood trade fairs internationally.  This can be expected to lead to new export markets for seafood enterprises, particularly in Asia, thus assisting the companies concerned in diversifying their market outlets. 

Last October, as part of Budget 2017, I announced measures aimed at alleviating the pressures of income volatility and the potential impact of Brexit.  These measures included an additional allocation of €1.6m in 2016 and €2m in 2017 to Bord Bia to ensure that they are in a position to provide Brexit-related supports to affected companies.  I also provided for increased funding under the Rural Development Programme and Seafood Development Programme.

Earlier this year I awarded over €1.8 million in grants to 19 seafood enterprises under the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund Operational Programme for the seafood sector.  The aim of these grants is to incentivise seafood innovation and new product development as a means of meeting the Brexit challenge.

As part of overall work on Brexit, my Department, in conjunction with Bord Iascaigh Mhara and the Sea Fisheries Protection Authority, are currently modelling the potential impacts Brexit might have on the seafood trade under the different possible scenarios’.  As part of this analysis, BIM are conducting a survey of seafood enterprises in Ireland to ascertain their dependence on trade directly with the UK and the use of the UK as a land bridge to continental markets.  

I am working closely with our fishing industry and held a detailed public discussion with stakeholders just the other week in Galway.  I will remain in close contact with fisheries stakeholders as the issues develop and work with them and my fellow fisheries Ministers in the EU to ensure that we are all fully prepared for what are likely to be extremely complex negotiations.

I strongly believe that a unified front on these matters is best for Ireland, the EU and the continued sustainability of our stocks.