David Cullinane (Waterford, Sinn Fein)
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99. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the position regarding eel fishing here compared to other EU countries and the UK; the reason for divergences from EU common policy; if a review will be conducted on the policy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21236/20]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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EU Regulation 1100/2007 requires each member state to submit an Eel Management Plan (EMP) containing measures for national implementation.  Following a comprehensive public consultation process, Ireland introduced its EMP, which was approved by the European Commission in 2009. In setting out its EMP, Ireland followed the objective of the Regulation to ensure that escapement of eels to the sea should be at 40% relative to “pristine conditions” (those pertaining in the early 1980s).The measures in the EMP include closure of the eel fishery and the internal market. In accordance with the EU Regulation, the plan and its measures were comprehensively reviewed in 2012, 2015 and 2018 when further public consultation was undertaken. All three reports are available on the website of Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI) www.fisheriesireland.ie. Further reviews will be undertaken in accordance with the requirements of the Regulation.