Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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350. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his plans to support Ireland's fisheries industry to mitigate the impact of Brexit in view of the UK's plans to leave the London Fisheries Convention. [32100/17]

Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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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.   

However, 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.

Under the Convention, the Irish fishing fleet has access to parts of the UK 6-12 mile zone while the UK fleet has similar access to parts of the Irish zone.   The Irish fleet is not significantly dependant on this limited access.

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.

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. This has, and will continue to be, my overriding priority. 

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.

As the negotiations develop unilateral sectoral announcements, like this one, will be dealt with, as this will be, within the Brexit negotiation process and there will be no room, or indeed intent, to address issues in isolation.

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.

In terms of support to mitigate any potential impacts from Brexit for the fishing industry, my Department’s €240 million EMFF Fund Operational Programme will directly 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 €2m in 2017 to Bord Bia to ensure that they are in a position to provide Brexit-related supports to affected companies. 

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.

In conclusion, I would like to assure the Deputy that I will be unequivocal in opposing any dilution of our existing EU quota shares, including protecting the benefit to Ireland of the Hague Preferences, and any limitations on our existing rights of access.