Alan Dillon (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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35. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the steps that he is taking to increase the national quota allocation for the mackerel hook and line fishery for 2023 following engagement with industry representatives at recent meetings of the Quota Management Advisory Committee; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38352/22]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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Management arrangements for the State’s fisheries, including the Mackerel fishery, have been set and developed over many years since the commencement of the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP) and the introduction of quotas. Pelagic stocks, such as Mackerel, are managed on an annual or seasonal basis with catch limits set based on allocation regimes developed over many years and related to historical catch records. Amendments to the mackerel policy in 2010 and 2017 were introduced following a full review and public consultation. It should be noted that the 2017 policy is subject to a legal challenge in the Courts.

In order to amend Mackerel Policy, I, as Minister, 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 of the policy, it would 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.

Unfortunately, the situation is that if there is an increase in the Mackerel quota for any sector in the allocation made available, it must be taken from others who are already facing significant cuts under the TCA.

In accordance with policy, there is an allocation of 400 tonnes of Mackerel for a fishery for smaller vessels (under 15 metre vessels) fishing for Mackerel by means of hooks and line.

The management arrangements, within national policy, for the mackerel hook and line fishery have been on the agenda and discussed with industry representatives at recent meetings of the Quota Management Advisory Committee (QMAC). It is important to note that the remit of the QMAC is to examine and make recommendations within Ministerial policy.

Earlier this year, I asked the Quota Management Advisory Committee (QMAC) to examine measures to strengthen the management arrangements for the 2022 Mackerel hook and line fishery, within the policy, for my consideration. A working group involving industry representatives recommended by the QMAC and the Department was put in place and made recommendations for the management of the 2022 Fishery which were supported by the QMAC and which I have approved. The management arrangements are available on the Department’s website. The fishery is now open and the SFPA has advised that as of 11th July 2022, 138 tonnes of the 400 tonnes available quota have been landed to date with a corresponding percentage uptake of 34.5%.

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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The Report of the Seafood Task Force – Navigating Change (October 2021) recommended 16 support schemes at an estimated cost of €423 million, collectively designed to address the impacts of Brexit and the Trade and Cooperation Agreement on our seafood sector and coastal communities. Given the large number of recommendations and the work required to examine each from the perspective of funding available, eligibility under the EU Brexit Adjustment Reserve Regulation, State Aid rules, and the Public Spending, the Task Force recommended that its 16 recommended schemes be considered on a phased and prioritised basis.

Since the publication of the Task Force Report, many of the recommended schemes have since been launched , including Brexit support schemes for the fishing fleet, for the inshore fleet, for the processing sector and for coastal communities. A further four schemes are awaiting State Aid clearance from the European Commission.

Of all of the recommendations, the voluntary permanent cessation scheme is certainty the most complex. The Task Force recommended a voluntary permanent cessation scheme for the whitefish polyvalent and beam trawl fleet segments with the objective of removing 8,000 gross tonnes and 21,000 kilowatts of fleet capacity, equivalent to 60 vessels approximately. The Task Force recommended that special provision be made for tax treatment of the decommissioning scheme payments, similar to the decommissioning scheme that operated in 2008 and that complementary measures for buy-out of off-register fleet capacity be instituted in order to lessen the risk of fishers re-entering the fleet with new vessels.

Following discussions with the Ministers for Finance and for Public Expenditure and reform, the recommended tax measures were included in the Finance (Covid-19 and Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2022, which was signed into law on 2 June 2022.

On 14 March 2022, a State Aid Notification for a Brexit Voluntary Permanent Cessation Scheme was submitted to the European Commission for its consideration. I await State Aid decisions from the European Commission on these matters.