Written answers

Wednesday, 3 February 2021

Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine

Fishing Industry

Photo of Pádraig Mac LochlainnPádraig Mac Lochlainn (Donegal, Sinn Fein)
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916. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the efforts he has made to secure a share of the bluefin tuna for Irish fishers for 2021 through engagements with the EU Commission and International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tuna, ICCAT; and the details of the outcome of engagements on the matter. [4999/21]

Photo of Charlie McConalogueCharlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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Bluefin tuna is a highly migratory large pelagic species which spawns in the Mediterranean and then migrates over a wide area of the North East Atlantic to feed.  This migration brings some of the fish into the Irish 200 miles zone for part of the year. At the time we see fish in the Irish zone, there are also fish being caught in the international high seas and over a wide area from Spain to Norway.  There is no survey from which the abundance in Ireland's 200 miles zone may be determined. 

Ireland does not have a national quota for Bluefin Tuna.  The available Bluefin Tuna quota is allocated each year to Member States on the basis of relative stability as established in the late 1990s.  At that time, Ireland did not have a track record of commercial fishing for Bluefin Tuna and, accordingly, did not receive a quota allocation. 

A small Bluefin Tuna by-catch quota is available to Ireland, primarily for use in our important Northern Albacore Tuna fishery and Celtic Sea Herring fishery where there can be Bluefin Tuna by-catch.

In 2018,  Ireland was successful, for the first time, in securing agreement that allowed countries without a commercial quota to set up a catch-tag-release fishery to contribute to the collection of scientific data.  A Catch-Tag-Release science-based fishery for authorised recreational angling vessels has been in place in Ireland since 2019 and supports the collection of valuable data on the migratory patterns of Bluefin Tuna in Irish waters. 

The only way to obtain a share of the EU quota now would involve changing relative stability within the EU.  The EU percentage share of the international TAC is set down and there is no likelihood that an international country will concede any share to the EU.  This means that EU Member States, with a national quota, would have to give up a share of their allocation to Ireland. 

The EU Commission has advised that it intends to commence the Common Fisheries Policy review process when there is clarity on the future relationship between the EU and the UK.  The review is expected to be detailed and comprehensive.  At EU level, it is expected that all stakeholders will have an opportunity to engage actively in the review work including the fishing industry, eNGOs and Member States.  

I will consider how Ireland will prepare for and participate actively and effectively in the review, including the interaction with stakeholders to prepare Ireland's case and identify priorities.  

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