Holly Cairns (Cork South West, Social Democrats)
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415. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine to provide a breakdown of the mackerel quota allocations within the Irish fleet, by boat size; and to provide the percentage of the quota allocated to inshore fishers. [40234/24]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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Management of the national mackerel quota is set down in Ministerial Policy, which has been developed and put in place over many years. 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.

Ireland’s national Mackerel Quota for 2024, adjusted to take account of carryover of unused quota from 2023, is 53,522 tonnes.

Mackerel management policy is as follows:-

• An allocation of 400 tonnes for a fishery for under 15 metre vessels fishing for Mackerel by means of hooks and line was set down in Policy in 2010. The uptake in 2023 was 269.52t (67.38%). The 2024 uptake as at 01 October 2024 is 203.25t (50.81%). The catch limit for the month of October is 10 tonnes. The 400 tonnes Hook and Line allocation is taken off the top of the annual national quota before the polyvalent segment/RSW Pelagic segment split (see below).
• A minimum of 2% of the mackerel quota (1,070 tonnes in 2024) in the TAC and Quota Regulation (or 1,000 tonnes, whichever is greater) is deducted annually to be used to swap for demersal (whitefish) stocks with other Member States and the UK. This deduction is made before any share out between segments is undertaken.
• Where Ireland’s mackerel quota in the annual TAC and Quota Regulation is 90,000 tonnes or below, mackerel is shared out on an 87%/13% basis between the Refrigerated Seawater (RSW) Pelagic segment and the Polyvalent segment, respectively. The share out is applied after the deduction for contingency, swaps, carry over/deductions (as provided for by EU Regulation) and the allocation set aside for Hook and Line fishery.
• Where Ireland’s mackerel quota in the annual TAC and Quota Regulation is above 90,000 tonnes, the share out is adjusted so that the element in excess of 90,000 tonnes is shared 80%/20% between the RSW Pelagic segment and the Polyvalent segment. The balance below 90,000 tonnes will be shared out on an 87%/13% basis between the RSW Pelagic segment and the Polyvalent segment. The share out is applied after the deduction for contingency, swaps, carry over/deductions (as provided for by EU Regulation) and the allocation set aside for Hook and Line fishery for vessels under 15 metres.

• 400 tonnes for the Hook and Line Fishery (vessels under 15m length overall).
• 87% of the national annual quota (43,893 tonnes in 2024) is available for the RSW Pelagic segment. This segment comprises of 23 vessels, ranging in size from 27.35 metres to 71 metres.
• 13% of the national annual quota (6,558 tonnes in 2024) is available for the Polyvalent segment. Mackerel Policy provides that 76.50% of the 13% (5,017 tonnes in 2024) is made available to 15 Tier 1 vessels (ranging in size from 24.50 metres to 37.30 metres), and 21% of the 13% (1,377 tonnes in 2024) is made available to 12 Tier 2 vessels (ranging in size from 16.78 metres to 26.63 metres). Access to Tier 1 and Tier 2 catch limits was determined using track record set down in 2010. Tier 1 and Tier 2 vessels receive a catch limit for the period 1 January to 30 November each year.
• The remaining 2.50% of the 13% quota available for polyvalent vessels (164 tonnes in 2024) is made available to under 18 metre vessels (including under 15 metre vessels) fishing for mackerel by means other than hook and line. Catch limits are set by monthly Fisheries Management Notice. The catch limit for the month of October is 5 tonnes. This catch limit is open to all polyvalent vessel under 18 metres in length overall fishing for mackerel by means other than hook and line.

Holly Cairns (Cork South West, Social Democrats)
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416. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine to provide a breakdown of registered Irish fishing boats, by size. [40235/24]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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In accordance with section 3 of the Fisheries (Amendment) Act 2003, the Register of Sea Fishing Boats is maintained by the Registrar General for Sea Fishing Boats and is publicly available online at: gov.ie - Sea Fisheries Administration () . In addition, the EU Commission publishes annual fleet reports including Ireland which are also available online: oceans-and-fisheries.ec.europa.eu/fisheries/rules/fishing-fleet-capacvessels ities_en These reports typically identify the number of vessels in a variety of lengths similar to the information sought by the Deputy.

Please see below breakdown by size of the registered as of 4th October 2024. These figures can vary from day to day.