Written answers

Thursday, 8 November 2018

Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine

Fish Quotas

Photo of Éamon Ó CuívÉamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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191. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the reason Fisheries Management Notice No. 72 of 2018 was only published on 31 October 2018 in view of the fact that it came into force on 2 November 2018 thus only giving a few days to fishermen pull their pots in inclement weather; the scientific basis on which the order is based; the estimated number of boats that will be affected by this order; the estimated number of crew that will be laid off as a result; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46222/18]

Photo of Michael CreedMichael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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Council Regulation 1415/2004 sets the maximum levels of annual fishing effort by group of species area and fishery and by Member States. The Regulation sets effort limits for the edible crab and spider crab in the area known as the Biologically Sensitive Area which is off the south and west coast of Ireland (BSA). Ireland’s maximum effort as set down in the Regulation is 63,198 KW days. The Department, following consultation with the Quota Management Advisory Committee, which comprises industry representatives, secured a swap from France at the beginning of the year for additional fishing effort for crab in this area, taking account of uptake in previous years and available stocks for swops. This increased our available fishing effort to 102,431 KW days for 2018 (when a deduction for fishing in excess of available effort in 2017 of 5777 KW days was taken into account).

At the Quota Management Advisory Committee on 23 October last, the SFPA provided that crab effort uptake in the Biologically Sensitive Area (BSA) was at 77.73%. By 30th October, the Department received notice from the SFPA that the uptake figures had reached over 100%. On this basis I had no option but to close the BSA crab fishery for vessels over 10 metres. I have been advised by the industry representative organisation, the NIFF, that the estimated number of vessels affected between 10 and 15 metres is 27. I have no details of the number of crew on these vessels.

I have received submissions from industry representatives in relation to possible swap options and having regard to these submissions, I have decided to pursue a swap to re-open the BSA crab fishery for vessels over 10 metres. This is, of course, dependent on France being prepared to swap its crab effort in the BSA as it is the only Member State with crab effort in this area.

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