Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Social Democrats)
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765. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his plans to introduce rules or new regulations that govern the type of materials that can be used in the construction of fishing nets and lines in view of the fact that some methods require the use of pollutant plastics; if his attention has been drawn to licensed trawlers that use a biodegradable net or line in the course of their work; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44812/18]

Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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Bord Iascaigh Mhara (BIM) is carrying out a programme of work under Ireland's European Maritime Fisheries Fund Operational Programme through the "Fishing for litter" initiative in several ports around the coast, which involves the collection of litter, including waste fishing gear, bringing it ashore and recycling it.

As the Deputy may be aware, there is at present a Proposal for a Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council on the reduction of the impact of certain plastic products on the environment. This proposal has the main objective of the prevention and reduction of plastic marine litter from single use plastic items and fishing gear containing plastic by complementing the measures already envisaged under the European Strategy for Plastics in a Circular Economy adopted in January 2018.

This proposal for a Directive, if adopted, would provide for measures for the improved management of waste fishing gear containing plastic returned to shore and its financing. These mechanisms and incentives are expected to increase the share of recovered fishing gear at the end of their life. In this context, I understand that BIM are working with fishermen and net manufacturers in the main fishing ports to put in place a better system to track fishing gear from purchase to end of life. By Improving accountability will help to reduce the amount of waste fishing gear being dumped at sea.

I understand that it is expected that the Council and the European Parliament will enter into negotiations under the EU co-decision process to agree the details provisions of the Directive .

Furthermore, I am advised by BIM that the use of biodegradable fishing gear is quite limited at present. I understand that there have been numerous experimental trials of biodegradable nets but all have found catch rates are greatly reduced while the costs of production are very high compared to traditional monofilament and nylon nets. I am informed that there are examples, including from Ireland, of fishermen fitting biodegradable escape panels to lobster and crab pots which, when the pot is lost, degrade over time, letting any catch inside the pot escape.