Christopher O'Sullivan (Cork South West, Fianna Fail)
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551. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will consider and advise on a regular payment scheme to support the whitefish and shellfish sectors in order to counteract the huge loss of revenue brought about by a significant drop in market value of their catch due to 15 months of Covid-19 restrictions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29851/21]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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The Department's European Maritime and Fisheries Fund Programme is the funding programme for the development of our fisheries sector.  The Programme supports a wide range of initiatives, including capital investment on board and ashore, advisory services, innovation, training and marketing. 

The European Union amended its European Maritime and Fisheries Fund Regulation in 2020 to facilitate aid payments to the fisheries sector in connection with the COVID-19 pandemic.  The amended Regulation allowed aid for either storage aid market supports or for temporary fleet tie-up.  In June to August 2020, the Department implemented a temporary fleet tie-up scheme through BIM. The Regulation provided that these COVID-related initiatives were only allowed up to 31st December 2020.