Written answers

Wednesday, 24 February 2021

Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine

Fishing Industry

Photo of Michael Healy-RaeMichael Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent)
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1108. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine further to Parliamentary Question No. 1020 of 17 February 2021, if a copy of the relevant legislation will be provided; if evidence that a company was contacted to carry out a survey will be provided; the legislation under which producers are being prosecuted for not completing the survey (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10397/21]

Photo of Charlie McConalogueCharlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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The European Communities (Data Collection in the Fisheries Sector) Regulations 2010 (S.I. 132/2010) give effect to elements of the EU Data Collection Regulation. The Regulations are available online at the following link:

S.I. No. 132/2010 - European Communities (Data Collection in the Fisheries Sector) Regulations 2010. (irishstatutebook.ie).

The Regulations place a duty on aquaculture operators to maintain certain data on their operations and require an aquaculture operator to comply with a request of a data collection officer of BIM to furnish such information. It is an offence under the Regulations to fail to comply with this requirement and a person who commits such offence is liable on summary conviction to a fine of up to €5,000. I am not aware of any prosecutions for offences under these Regulations.

I understand that there is a very high level of compliance and cooperation from the aquaculture sector with these requirements and that aquaculture producers understand the importance of robust economic data on their sector for policy making at national and EU level.

I am informed by BIM that the aquaculture enterprise named by the Deputy was requested in writing by BIM to submit certain economic data on its operations in each of the years 2017, 2018 and 2019 and that the correspondence from BIM noted the statutory basis for the request. I am advised that the company concerned did not comply with the request in either 2018 or 2019. BIM is retrieving a copy of the correspondence from its archives and this will be forwarded to the Deputy.

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