Seán Haughey (Dublin Bay North, Fianna Fail)
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727. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will bring forward legislation to ban inshore fishing by large trawlers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47493/21]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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In December 2018, the Minister announced that vessels over 18m will be excluded from trawling in inshore waters inside the six nautical mile zone from 1st January 2020. A transition period of three years for vessels over 18m targeting sprat was allowed to enable adjustment for these vessels, as the sprat fishery is concentrated in this area. Policy Directive 1 of 2019 was introduced in March 2019 to give effect to the changes.

A Judicial Review was taken by two applicant fishers challenging the validity of the Policy Directive. On 6th October 2020, the High Court judgment held that the Policy Directive was made in breach of fair procedures and is void and/or of no legal effect. The Minister appealed the decision to the Court of Appeal and a full hearing took place on 22nd June last. Judgment on the case is reserved.

The Minister also sought an extension on the stay on the order of the High Court, which was granted by the Court of Appeal on 19th March last, reinstating the Policy Directive. On 23rd September last, the Court of Appeal refused the Minister's application to continue the stay.

As the matter is sub judice, I cannot comment further until the matter can be resolved before the Courts.

Holly Cairns (Cork South West, Social Democrats)
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728. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the steps he is taking to support inshore fishers. [47497/21]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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I can advise the Deputy that I have met with the National Inshore Fisheries Forum (NIFF) and heard directly the concerns and goals of the inshore fishing sector. The NIFF is a consultative body, established to foster industry-led development of proposals for the management of fish and shellfish stocks within six nautical miles of the Irish shore. The NIFF is supported by a network of six Regional Inshore Fisheries Forums (RIFFs) that cover the Irish coast.

Since their inception, the Forums have developed initiatives seeking to protect the future of the inshore sector, which is extremely important for Irish coastal communities. The Forums involve representation from inshore fishers, environmental interests, marine leisure, marine tourism and other marine stakeholders. A dedicated website provides information on the work of the Forums: www.inshoreforums.ie.

In 2019, the NIFF brought forward the first industry-led Strategy for the Irish Inshore Fisheries Sector and is currently in the process of implementing the Strategy with support from BIM, my Department and other agencies. The Strategy flowed from an extensive consultation process that engaged the inshore sector itself as well as other stakeholders.

In relation to financial supports, my Department's €240 million European Maritime and Fisheries Fund Programme 2014-2020 is the principal source of public funding for the sustainable development of our fisheries, aquaculture and seafood processing sectors. The Programme is delivered through a range of support schemes. Financial supports are available to our inshore fishing sector for capital investment on board and ashore, for training and for organisation and capacity building within the sector, while State bodies provide a range of services to the inshore fleet including advisory services and stock conservation supports.

In March 2021, I established the Seafood Sector Task Force comprised of stakeholders from our fisheries, aquaculture and seafood processing sectors, together with representatives of coastal community development groups, coastal local authorities, State enterprise development agencies and others. The remit of this Task Force is to examine the implications arising from the Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA) between the European Union and the UK for the Irish fishing industry and coastal communities particularly dependent upon it. I have asked the Task Force to outline initiatives that could be taken to provide supports for development and restructuring so as to ensure a profitable and sustainable fishing fleet and to identify opportunities for jobs and economic activity in coastal communities dependent on fishing.

I understand that the Task Force is examining the impacts of the TCA on the inshore sector as part of its deliberations. I anticipate a Final Report from the Task Force later this year outlining its full recommendations.

The Programme for Government - Our Shared Future, specifically sets the aim of supporting the inshore sector to establish a Producer Organisation to generate greater marketing and promotional capacity. My Department has received two such applications to date. I can confirm that one application for a Producer Organisation for the inshore sector has been approved and the other application is currently on hand.

My Department is committed to supporting the inshore community and the wider seafood sector in achieving its potential. I look forward to my next meeting with the NIFF, at the earliest mutually convenient opportunity, to continue working on how best this can be achieved together.

Holly Cairns (Cork South West, Social Democrats)
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729. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the steps he is taking to make additional amounts of pelagic quota available to inshore fishers. [47498/21]

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn (Donegal, Sinn Fein)
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754. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his plans to review the allocation of species such as mackerel and herring to inshore fishermen. [47823/21]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 729 and 754 together.

As the Deputy will be aware, in Ireland, fishing quota, including pelagic stocks such as Mackerel and Herring, is a public resource and is managed to provide for proper management and conservation and rational exploitation of the State’s fishing quotas. It is managed as a public good that ensures that property rights are not granted to individual operators. This is seen as a critical policy in order to ensure that quotas are not concentrated into the hands of large fishing companies whose owners have the financial resources to buy up such rights. In Ireland, any movement towards privatisation and concentration of rights into the hands of large companies would seriously risk fishing vessels losing an economic link with Ireland’s coastal communities and undermining the socio-economic importance of the fishing industry in the coastal communities dependent on fishing.

The result of this long-standing policy is that the Irish fishing fleet involves a balanced spread of sizes and types of fishing vessels who have retained a strong economic link with our coastal communities and have delivered economic activity including vital employment in these communities, where there are very limited alternative economic activities.

The arrangements have been set and developed over many years since the commencement of the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP) and the introduction of quotas. Any amendments or changes to the over arching policy on management arrangements are determined by the Minister following detailed analysis and full consultation with stakeholders, in particular the fishing industry.

There are a number of opportunities for vessels to target Mackerel and Herring stocks which are open only to smaller 'inshore' fishing vessels. For example, in 2021 the following pelagic fishing opportunities have been made available to smaller 'inshore' fishing vessels:

Mackerel: Mackerel policy provides that 2.50% of the 13% quota available for polyvalent vessels (194t) be made available to under 18m vessels fishing for mackerel by means other than hook and line. Catch limits are set by monthly Fisheries Management Notice. This fishery remains open with a catch limit of one tonne for each of the months of September and October.

An allocation of 400 tonnes for a fishery for smaller vessels (under 15 metre vessels) fishing for Mackerel by means of hooks and line was set down in Policy in 2010. The then Minister amended the Mackerel policy in July 2017 after intensive review and public consultation, however this amendment did not involve the hook and line fishery.

In order to consider any review of mackerel policy, I must be satisfied that there is satisfactory evidence of changed circumstances to justify a policy review. If I consider there is a case for review of any aspect policy, it will require due process, involving an assessment of all issues arising, including a full public consultation.

There has been, for the past 20 years or so, intensive competition within the industry for a higher share of the mackerel quota. The EU-UK Trade and Co-operation Agreement (TCA) provides for the transfer of 26% of Ireland’s mackerel quota to the UK by 2026. This will only increase demands for a higher share of Ireland’s Mackerel quota from all sectors within the fishing fleet. The Deputy should be aware that the 400 tonne limit for the hook and line fishery has not been reduced and has remained the same as in previous years.

Unfortunately, the situation is that if there is an increase in the Mackerel quota allocation for any group of vessels, such as for the hook and line fishery, it must be taken from others who are already facing significant cuts under the TCA.

Celtic Sea Herring: Ireland's quota for the stock adopted by the EU Fisheries Council, in line with ICES advice, is 750t, specifically to allow for a fisheries-based data collection for this stock. As the quota is being made available to support the gathering of data for the stock, I have approved that setting aside of the 2012 Herring Policy. Taking consideration of the Marine Institute advice and the recommendation of the Celtic Sea Herring Management Advisory Committee, I have approved the increase in the quota being made available to under 17m vessels in the Sentinel fishery from 11% to 25%. The arrangements will provide opportunities for 24 selected inshore vessels over two management periods.

North West Herring: This autumn, the fishery will be operated as a scientific monitoring fishery. I have approved the setting aside of 2012 Herring Policy, to support the collection of data for the stock. In the Spring of 2021, 300t was made available to facilitate data collection in January, February, March and April. 120 tonnes of this quota was made available to 8 under 12m vessels. For the Autumn period, 235t (21% of the available quota) will be made available to inshore vessels less than 12m. This will initially provide opportunities for 19 vessels. This may increase after 26 November if the uncaught quota by larger vessels is re-allocated. The re-allocation provides that 50% of this quota will be made available to authorise additional inshore vessels.

Irish Sea Herring: For 2021 the available quota 915t has been allocated to 10 selected vessels. Five of these vessels are smaller vessels under 40ft registered length.

Horse Mackerel: 29t was set aside for a summer fishery under 12m in length overall fishing exclusively by means of ring nets.

Holly Cairns (Cork South West, Social Democrats)
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730. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if a separate whitefish tie-up scheme will be put in place for inshore boats that are not eligible for the primary whitefish scheme. [47499/21]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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In March 2021, I established the Seafood Sector Task Force comprised of stakeholders from our fisheries, aquaculture and seafood processing sectors, together with representatives of coastal community development groups, coastal local authorities, State enterprise development agencies and others. The remit of this Task Force is to examine the implications arising from the Trade and Cooperation Agreement between the European Union and the UK for the Irish fishing industry and coastal communities particularly dependent upon it. I have asked the Task Force to outline initiatives that could be taken to provide supports for development and restructuring so as to ensure a profitable and sustainable fishing fleet and to identify opportunities for jobs and economic activity in coastal communities dependent on fishing.

In July 2021, I received an Interim Report of this Task Force which made some limited recommendations pending its full report which I expect to receive in the Autumn. While the Interim Report did not feature any specific recommendations relating to the inshore fishing sector, I understand that the Task Force is examining impacts of the TCA on the inshore sector as part of its deliberations.

I anticipate a Final Report from the Task Force shortly outlining its full recommendations.