Written answers

Wednesday, 16 October 2019

Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine

Brexit Negotiations

Photo of Micheál MartinMicheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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199. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he discussed the fishing zones between Ireland and the UK and possible blockades and conflict at sea with his UK counterpart. [42311/19]

Photo of Michael CreedMichael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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Brexit negotiations are led by Michel Barnier and the EU team.   Ireland participates in talks with the EU27 and my officials and I have had intensive discussions with the European Commission, other relevant Member States and stakeholders regarding the potential negative impact of a disorderly or no-deal Brexit on the Irish fishing industry and the wider seafood sector as whole. 

The key issues in a no-deal situation which I have stressed in all discussions are the potential loss of access for Irish and other EU vessels to the UK fishing zone, the need to ensure ongoing protection of fish stocks in the waters around Ireland from a subsequent increase in fishing activity and potential mitigation measures for the seafood sector at EU level.  It is also important to be aware that, in such a no-deal situation, the EU and Ireland could also face a loss of quota share.  

Throughout the discussions, I emphasised the necessity for a coordinated European response to ensure that there would be proportionate and equitable use of mitigation measures overseen by the Commission.

At the Agrifish Council in Luxembourg last Monday, I took the opportunity to discuss with fellow Fisheries Ministers the ongoing Brexit preparatory work by the eight EU Member States most likely to be impacted by the UK's withdrawal from the EU.

There has been a significant amount of preparatory work done at official and industry level across the Member States and in cooperation with the Commission for all scenarios. 

My priority has been, and remains, to maintain existing levels of access to waters and resources.  The European Commission has put in place a legal framework to allow the authorisation of EU and UK vessels to continue to fish in each other's waters until 31 December 2019, if agreement is reached between the UK and the EU on such access.  The Commission has put forward a proposal to extend this temporary framework to 31 December 2020, if a Withdrawal Agreement is not in place.  The Regulation does not provide a commitment of ongoing reciprocal access – it simply creates the necessary legal framework to allow for the possibility of such access.  However, in the worst case scenario of a disorderly departure, we can expect that those reciprocal arrangements will be impacted, at least in the very short term.

A disorderly departure, that included a loss of access to UK waters, would have very serious consequences for our seafood industry.  I am satisfied that, in cooperation with our stakeholders and EU partners, we are doing all that we can to plan to mitigate the potential impacts. 

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