Christopher O'Sullivan (Cork South West, Fianna Fail)
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182. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the current status of Ireland’s efforts to return 12,000 tonnes of mackerel from Denmark; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26716/22]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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In September 2021, as part of the proposal on 2022 fishing opportunities for the Baltic Sea, the European Commission proposed an in-year amendment of the Total Allowable Catch for mackerel in the Norwegian waters of Area 2a and 4a in the North Sea.  Denmark is the sole holder of this quota.

As the EU did not have access to fish mackerel in Norwegian waters in 2021, the purpose of the amendment was to change the condition applying to the quota to allow it to be fished only in UK and EU waters of Areas of 2a, 3 and 4.

Ireland’s position is that, based on our analysis, this TAC only ever existed as part of a bilateral agreement with Norway where there was a transfer of quota from the EU Western Waters component to Norway and a reciprocal transfer from Norway to the EU of fishing opportunities in the Norwegian waters of 2a and 4a.  As there is no longer an agreement with Norway on mackerel, then no transfers took place and, therefore, this TAC cannot exist.

I raised this matter at the October Fisheries Council and again at the December Fisheries Council.

Given the complexity of the issues and the need for an in-depth historical analysis and review, it was agreed at the December Council to leave that TAC as "to be established".  Furthermore, it was agreed that the Commission would prepare a report which would propose “a methodology applicable to the allocation and distribution of the fishing opportunities in question that would uphold the principle of relative stability.”  To this end, the Commission established a Working Group with the Commission and Council Legal Services.   The issue will come back to Council once this report is prepared.

I have been fully engaged with Commissioner Sinkevicius on this issue.  My officials have also been engaging with Commission officials to provide relevant data and analysis to assist them in compiling their report.  Fisheries stakeholders have also provided valuable assistance in this regard.

I would hope that the Commission will be in a position to report back to Council on this matter shortly.