Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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475. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the extent to which fish conservation policies have benefited fish stocks in the seas around Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41944/17]

Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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Ireland's goals for sustainable fisheries are supported through the Common Fisheries Policy. The Common Fisheries Policy (CFP) provides the framework for the long term conservation and sustainability of fish stocks around our shores and is designed to ensure the long term sustainability of fishing in Ireland and throughout EU waters. The CFP utilises the best scientific advice as a key determinant in setting annual fishing quotas.

The main features of the policy involve:  setting Total Allowable Catches (TACs) and quotas to deliver maximum sustainable yield (MSY) by 2015, where possible, and in all cases by 2020; a discards ban (Landing Obligation) to be phased in over the period 2015 to 2019; and the establishment of a regional decision making arrangement.

A key element of the CFP is the setting of fishing levels on the basis of Maximum Sustainable Yield (MSY). Fishing opportunities for each Member State are agreed on an annual basis at the EU Fisheries Council of Ministers on the basis of a proposal produced by the European Commission that is informed by the best available scientific advice. The Common Fisheries Policy specifically calls for the progressive restoration and maintenance of populations of fish stocks above biomass levels capable of producing MSY. To achieve this the FMSY exploitation rate shall be achieved for all stocks by 2020 at the latest. This should ultimately lead to healthy fish stocks, higher quotas for both Irish and EU fishermen and lead to more sustainable fishing patterns.

The landing obligation (also referred to as the ‘discards ban’) was also introduced as part of the current CFP. Its objective is to eliminate the wasteful and unsustainable practice of discarding. The reform is being rolled out in a practical and phased manner. 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 landing obligation was extended to certain demersal stocks (whitefish and prawns) from the 1st of January 2016 and will be fully phased in by the 1st January 2019.

Scientific information on the state of the fisheries exploited by the Irish fleet is compiled by the Marine Institute and is published in the Stock Book each year. The most recent Stock Book, 2016, contains 74 stocks that are subject to the scientific advice of the Marine Institute. From the 74 stocks, 28 are assessed as being sustainably fished in 2016. This number has grown every year since 2013. This in turn leads to the number of stocks being overfished declining from 22 in 2014 to 15 in 2016. The biomass of stocks, the quantity of mature fish in the sea, has also increased. In 2016 there were 22 stocks in a positive state above biomass trigger points. This was also an increase over the preceding years.

There remains work left to do to achieve all the goals set out in the CFP but the progress so far must be acknowledged. The EU Commission has also noted that the state of fish stocks in European Atlantic and nearby waters continue to improve which indicates that we are seeing the benefits of prudent and responsible fisheries management practices.

I am confident that we will continue to make significant progress that will ensure the continued economic viability of our fishing fleet and fish processors while supporting the communities that depend on a vibrant fishing industry.

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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476. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the extent to which fish stocks have fluctuated in the past five years; the degree to which this affects the catch; his plans for the future in this regard; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41945/17]

Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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The Common Fisheries Policy (CFP) provides the framework for the long term conservation and sustainability of fish stocks around our shores and is designed to ensure the long term sustainability of fishing in Ireland and throughout EU waters. A key element of the CFP is the setting of fishing levels on the basis of Maximum Sustainable Yield (MSY). The Common Fisheries Policy specifically calls for the progressive restoration and maintenance of populations of fish stocks above biomass levels capable of producing MSY.

The first stage in achieving this is to form a detailed picture of the biological status of the stocks of greatest concern to Ireland. Scientific information on the state of the fisheries exploited by the Irish fleet is compiled by the Marine Institute with data from the International Council for the Exploration of the Seas (ICES) and is published in the Stock Book each year. The most recent Stock Book, 2016, contains 74 stocks that are subject to the scientific advice of the Marine Institute. The following tables (1+2) both taken from the Stock Book 2016 show the fluctuation of fish stocks with Irish interest over the last five years.

Table 1: Summary of stocks fished sustainably (fished below Fmsy) and unsustainably (fished above Fmsy)

Table 2: Summary of the biomass of stocks fished (quantity of mature fish in the sea).

From the 74 stocks, 28 are assessed as being sustainably fished in 2016. This number has grown every year since 2013. This in turn leads to the number of stocks being overfished declining from 22 in 2014 to 15 in 2016. The biomass of stocks, the quantity of mature fish in the sea, has also increased. In 2016 there were 22 stocks in a positive state above biomass trigger points. This was also an increase over the preceding years. These trends should ultimately lead to healthier fish stocks and higher quotas for Irish fishermen.

Fishing opportunities for each Member State are agreed on an annual basis at the EU Fisheries Council of Ministers on the basis of a proposal produced by the European Commission that is informed by the best available scientific advice. The 2017 TAC and Quota regulation achieved tangible progress toward the goals of the CFP while also ensuring the economic viability of an industry that supports vital jobs of numerous coastal communities around Ireland.