Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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The present EMFF Producer Organisation Scheme provides supports to recognised and prospective Producer Organisations. Part A of the scheme provides supports of up to €55,000 to groups of fisheries or aquaculture producers working to achieve recognition as a PO, while Part B of the scheme supports POs that have been recognised by this Department, up to a maximum of almost €100,000.

The EU Common Provisions Regulation (1303/2013) provides that grants under the EMFF Programme may take the form of reimbursement of eligible costs actually incurred and paid by the beneficiary, or alternatively through 'Simplified Cost Options' or SCOs, which are essentially fixed grants based on the past grant history of the beneficiary. As the organisation (details supplied) is only commencing implementation of its first Production and Marketing Plan (PMP) in 2022, in accordance with the EU Regulations, it will become due for support for implementation of its PMP after submission in 2023 of it’s Annual Report on 2022 activities and related grant claim and vouching documentation.

Article 66 of the EMFF Regulation (508/2014) allows the Managing Authority for the EMFF Programme to avail of a partial derogation from the above regulatory requirements, in that a 50% advance may be paid after approval of the Producer Organisations PMP. However, this derogation was not included in the terms of the Producer Organisation scheme, adopted at the outset of the Programme by the EMFF Monitoring Committee, of which the organisation is now a member.

The Irish scheme as adopted by the EMFF Monitoring Committee states that only once the relevant Producer Organisation’s Production and Marketing Plan (PMP) is approved by this Department as the competent authority and the Producer Organisation’s Annual Report for the year concerned is also approved; expenditure related to the implementation of identified measures by the Producer Organisation in the approved PMP and as verified by the Annual Report, supported by the necessary vouching documentation, is eligible for support under the scheme.

Ireland did not avail of the article 66 derogation as advance payments require the sanction of the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform and in the absence of official data in the form of grant history, the derogation was not considered to be workable in practice as there is no data on which to base a 50% advance.

In a scenario where the proposed actions described in a Producer Organisation’s PMP have not yet been implemented and the Annual Report has not been prepared; the costs of actions actually implemented are not known, and so a 50% calculation cannot be made. I strongly value the contributions of all the producer organisations and look forward to the receipt of thst organisations PMP and Annual Report.

Holly Cairns (Cork South West, Social Democrats)
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232. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if scallop dredging is permitted in special areas of conservation. [58449/22]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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I can inform the Deputy that a number of fisheries, including scallop, which involve the use of sea-bed impacting gear such as dredges, are regulated under the Sea-Fisheries and Maritime Jurisdiction Act, 2006 and in the case of Special Areas of Conservation and other protected Natura 2000 sites, the European Union (Birds and Natural Habitats) (Sea-fisheries) Regulations, 2013.

A series of appropriate assessments and risk assessments have been undertaken by my Department in conjunction with the Marine Institute over the years with regard to sea-fisheries in or near Natura 2000 sites. It must be noted that such sites include a variety of habitats and species, each with varying sensitivities and in respect of introducing measures to manage sea-fisheries, regard must be had to the specific conservation objectives for each habitat and species within these sites. While scallop dredging is not prohibited in Special Areas of Conservation, my Department has introduced a number of risk mitigation measures in the case of bivalve dredge fisheries, including scallop, in order to fulfil Ireland’s obligations under the EU Birds and Habitats Directives for protected habitats and species.

In the case of scallop fishing, this activity is not permitted to occur in sensitive habitats including seagrass, coral and reef. A number of scallop fishing exclusion areas have been set out in a number of sites to protect sensitive habitats. Such exclusions are established in Roaringwater Bay in Co. Cork, north of Saltee Islands and in the Hook Head area of Wexford and Blacksod Bay in Co. Mayo which are provided for in legislation in the form of Fisheries Natura Declarations. The Deputy may wish to refer to the Fisheries Natura Declarations in place which can be viewed at www.fishingnet.ie.

I can advise the Deputy that scallop fishing is allowed to occur in sedimentary habitats such as sand and gravel in Special Areas of Conservation on the basis that its frequency or intensity is limited and that habitats can recover between fishing seasons or where the footprint of the fishery is limited relative to the spatial extent of these habitats. In such instances, the effects of scallop fishing on habitats are deemed not to be significant.

I am very aware of the importance of putting measures in place, where relevant, to mitigate the risks of fishing for scallop and other bivalve fisheries with dredges to sensitive habitats within our bays so as to protect and maintain these habitats and the quality of our marine environment which is vital to the sustainability of our seafood sector.