Holly Cairns (Cork South West, Social Democrats)
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661. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his views on the call by a fishing representative organisation (details supplied) to provide for specific small-scale fisher infrastructure investment to improve facilities in landing areas, strengthen short supply chains and food security, and prioritise decarbonisation of the small-scale fleet. [3123/23]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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I established the Seafood Task Force in 2021 to examine measures which could be taken to mitigate the impact on the seafood sector and coastal communities of Brexit and the EU/UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement. The Task Force had significant representation from the industry, including inshore fishers, and developed a series of recommendations. Since the publication of its report, I have introduced a number of schemes in line with the recommendations including the €55 million Brexit Adjustment Local Authority Marine Infrastructure (BALAMI) Scheme, which is seeing investment in harbour infrastructure to support the fishing sector, including inshore fishers. While any specific measures at such facilities are a matter for the local authority concerned, the application process for the Scheme requires the local authorities to identify how such projects will assist in the delivery of the Climate Action Plan.

Bord Bia has responsibility for the promotion and marketing of Irish food in domestic and international markets and continues to work closely with the seafood sector to develop new higher value markets. Their seafood promotions focus on all types of seafood from small and large producers, encouraging domestic consumers to actively seek out Irish seafood and promote it on the basis of its quality, range and responsible sourcing credentials. I announced a Brexit Inshore Marketing Scheme in March 2022 to assist the inshore fisheries sector to mitigate the impacts of Brexit by growing value in existing markets and developing new markets. As part of this scheme, Bord Bia implemented a marketing plan for supporting the sales and promotion of inshore species such as Irish crab, lobster, whelks and inshore herring, mackerel, hake and pollock on both the domestic and export markets. I can advise the Deputy that the valuable work on this dedicated inshore marketing scheme is continuing in 2023.

The short chain of locally caught and consumed seafood products is encouraged and promoted where possible. Bord Iascaigh Mhara (BIM), Ireland’s seafood development agency, has supported a number of such initiatives and I have recently engaged with BIM on exploring new product opportunities for the Mackerel Hook and Line fishery. BIM continues to assess how European Maritime Fisheries and Aquaculture Fund (EMFAF) supports can be designed so that appropriate groups or organisations can seek support for such initiatives.

While the drive for decarbonisation is set to intensify over the coming years, I understand there are promising technologies on the horizon in relation to powering the Irish fishing fleet in the future. In the short term, alternative fuels such as Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil (HVO) and the use of hybrid engines are being reviewed in terms of the applicability of these technologies in an Irish context. In order to take advantage of alternative fuels and the potential use of electricity to charge engines, the relevant infrastructure needs to be put in place and this is an area which is also under review at present.

I can inform the Deputy that BIM conducted a baseline study of emissions in the Irish seafood sector in 2022 and this will form a basis for decarbonising the sector in the future. Other agencies such as the Marine Institute and the Commissioner of Irish Lights as well as the Department of Transport have significant knowledge and experience in this area and which can support the Irish fishing sector, including inshore fishers, to reduce emissions and assist in the delivery of climate related goals.