Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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161. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of persons involved in the fishing industry, including processing; the extent to which these numbers will be retained in the future notwithstanding Brexit; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41718/18]

Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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BIM advise that in 2017 there are 14,638 people employed around our coast  through direct and indirect employment in the Irish seafood industry.  The key priorities for Ireland and the EU27 in the context of fisheries and Brexit will be the maintenance of current access to fishing grounds in the UK zone in the Irish Sea, Celtic Sea and north of Donegal and the protection of Ireland’s existing quota shares which will in turn protect those involved in the industry.  My continued objective is to ensure that the implications for fisheries are fully taken account of throughout the negotiations for a future EU-UK relationship. 

In recent months, I have continued to have positive, regular meetings with my European colleagues, especially those from the group of 8 Member States whose fisheries are most impacted by the UK’s withdrawal from the EU.  I am also working closely with key stakeholders in the Irish fishing industry and am pleased at the level of unity on these key issues.  The results of my engagement with the Barnier Task Force, in close collaboration with the Tánaiste are evident in the agreed EU position on fisheries.   

 In the context of the economic relationship, the European Council confirmed its readiness to start work towards a balanced, ambitious and wide-ranging free trade agreement (FTA). On fisheries, it is very welcome that the maintenance of reciprocal access to fishing waters and resources is proposed in the European Council Guidelines. 

The actual agreement on a future relationship can only be finalised and concluded once the UK has become a third country, that is, after it leaves the EU on 29 March 2019. This is why a status quo transitional arrangement is so important. Of course, it is in the interest of everyone that a future relationship agreement is concluded as quickly as possible after the UK leaves the EU to provide certainty sooner rather than later.  

It is very welcome that the European Council has proposed that the whole of the EU acquis will apply to the UK during the transition, which means that in the context of a Withdrawal Agreement  the status quo will be preserved with the aim of avoiding any gaps or cliff edge effects between the UK leaving the EU and when a future relationship agreement enters into force.

I would like to assure the Deputy that, working together with the Tanaiste and his team and the Barnier Task Force, I will continue to work  to ensure that negotiations on fisheries remain inextricably linked to the overall future relationship negotiations in order to protect our existing access rights and quota entitlements. 

Overall, it is Ireland’s view that the EU27’s basic position should be to protect all EU fishing communities. While all parties would like higher quotas, the way to achieve that is to grow the stocks through sustainable management for the benefit of all.