Vol. 524 No. 2
159 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for the Marine and Natural Resources the fish species which have shown the greatest decrease in numbers in recent years; the plans he has for their conservation; if such plans are in accord with EU fisheries policies; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22304/00]
Ongoing stock assessments by Irish and EU scientists point to serious declines in a number of key whitefish stocks in Irish waters. These include hake, monkfish saithe in the north west and south west, cod and whiting in the Irish Sea and plaice in the Celtic Sea. Concerns about the state of stocks were reflected in the total allowable catches agreed by the Council of Ministers for 2000. The Council also agreed the implementation of the Irish Sea cod recovery programme 2000 which introduced spring closures and other management measures to protect the spawning cod stock. Negotiations are currently under way on the continuation of the cod recovery programme for 2001.
Emerging assessments this year of the state of the hake stocks 2000 point to the need for urgent measures to protect juvenile and spawning stocks. Ireland has been pressing for conservation measures for hake stocks for several years and the Commission has initiated discussions with Ireland, the UK, France and Spain on the scope for such measures in 2001.
Ireland has been at the forefront at EU level in pushing for enhanced conservation measures to protect fish stocks. With the support of the industry and backed up by the recent analysis of the CFP national strategy group, I am pursuing the case for further systematic action with the Commission and member states.
