Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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687. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his plans to restrict bottom trawling fishing within six miles of the shoreline; if his attention has been drawn to the impact this may have on the small shore-based fishing communities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11820/18]

Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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While I have no current plans to restrict bottom trawling inside the 6 mile zone, I am considering a full public consultation on possible measures that could be applied within this zone.

I have been working closely with the National Inshore Fisheries Forum and the six Regional Inshore Fisheries Forums to ensure that the needs of the inshore fisheries sector, including both coastal and island fishers, are taken into account and that we act to protect the future of our valuable coastal and island communities.

The issue of trawling by larger vessels within 6 nautical miles has been raised by a number of stakeholders and concerns about the relatively open access for large trawlers to inshore areas have been noted. My Department is currently preparing a range of possible measures for inclusion in a consultation paper. I hope to be in a position to present this paper for a full public consultation in the coming weeks.

The potential impact of limiting access to different categories of vessels has been the subject of preliminary scientific and economic reports by both the Marine Institute and Bord Iascaigh Mhara. There has also been some preliminary engagement with fisheries representative groups in respect of those reports. The consultation paper from the Department will set out a range of possible measures and their potential impacts.

A full public consultation will allow us to understand the views of all stakeholders.