Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 21 Mar 2001

Vol. 533 No. 1

Written Answers. - Common Fisheries Policy.

Austin Deasy

Question:

38 Mr. Deasy asked the Minister for the Marine and Natural Resources if the Government will give serious consideration to the renegotiation of the EU Common Fishery Policy in view of the massive depletion of fish stocks around our coast, most of which is caused by illegal fishing of boats from fellow members of the European Union. [7635/01]

Minister for the Marine and Natural Resources (Mr. Fahey)

The situation in relation to fish stocks is a matter of considerable concern. There has been a decline in a number of key commercial roundfish stocks in recent years, particularly cod and hake. All cod stocks from the north of Norway to the Celtic Sea have declined in recent years. The extent to which the decline is due to overfishing or the impact of wider environmental factors is a matter of scientific debate. It appears that both factors have played a role.

To address this situation Ireland has pressed, at successive Fisheries Councils, for the introduction of targeted stock recovery programmes. The first of these programmes was put in place for Irish sea cod in 2000 and this has been renewed for 2001. Cod recovery plans for North Sea cod and west of Scotland cod have recently been agreed and a hake recovery plan is in the process of being finalised. These recovery plans all aim to give added protection to the adult spawning stock during the spawning season. Another key aim of the programmes is to ensure that a greater proportion of young fish are allowed to escape. It is envisaged that this will be achieved through greater selectivity as a result of changes to fishing gears.

The initiatives being taken under the stock recovery plans will provide a model for the more extensive and enhanced conservation measures which Ireland is pursuing in respect of the review of the Common Fisheries Policy. This strategy has been set out in detail in the report of the national strategy review group on the CFP which has been presented to the European institutions and widely circulated in Brussels in the context of the forthcoming review. I look forward to participating in the upcoming debate on the CFP review and I will continue to press for a radical and farsighted approach to be taken in relation to the preservation of fish stocks.