Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 1 July 2008
389 Deputy Martin Ferris asked the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will push for the Irish Government to demand a complete reform of the Common Fisheries Policy in order to revise the allocation of quota and access by non-Irish fleets to Irish waters. [25429/08]
View answerThe Common Fisheries Policy (CFP) is the European Union's instrument for the management of fisheries and aquaculture. It was set down in 1983 and has been reviewed on a 10 year basis since then (in 1992 and 2002). During both reviews, many of Ireland's priorities were delivered. The process leading to that reform of the CFP was a lengthy and comprehensive one. It embraced such key areas as access to resources, conservation, control and enforcement structures and fleet policy. The reform process spanned a number of years and involved detailed consultations with stakeholders across the European Union.
In relation to quota allocations, the position is that Ireland's shares of the main fish stocks were set in the early 1980's when fish stocks were being shared out between EU Member States. The share allocations were based on catch records and reflected the fishing levels of the Irish fleet and other Member states' fleets at that time. The percentage shares held by each Member State have generally remained the same for over 20 years under the principle of relative stability.
It has been a priority of successive Irish fisheries Ministers to try to have these shares improved. During both reviews of the Common Fisheries Policy, in 1992 and again in 2002, substantial efforts were made to push Ireland's case for increased shares of important stocks but without success. Ireland received no support from other Member States for changes in the allocation keys for the share out of stocks. The practical reality is that to achieve an increase in Ireland's share of catches, other Member States would have to take a cut in their shares. This is all the more difficult to achieve when the total allowable catches (TACs) of all the main commercial species are falling and the reality is that achieving support for such an outcome at the December Agriculture and Fisheries Council, where quotas are fixed for the following year, is not deliverable. At this point the European Commission and other Member States largely take the view that the quota shares are fixed and not subject to ad hoc changes pending any more fundamental review of the Common Fisheries Policy.
The 2002 review led to a new basic Regulation that will govern EU Fisheries policy until the next review which is planned for 2012. It is not realistic therefore to expect a further reform process in the interim. The CFP reform package, agreed in December 2002, included key national priorities such as the continued recognition of the Hague quota preferences, which are very important to Ireland as they give Ireland a higher share of certain important fish stocks than was agreed in the 1980s; an action plan to address the problem of juvenile fish catches, stronger control and enforcement and the establishment of Regional Advisory Councils giving fishermen a strong voice in shaping future fisheries policy at EU level.
Following protracted negotiations at the December 2007 Agriculture and Fisheries Council total package of 182,699 tonnes of fish was secured for the Irish Fishing Industry for 2008. This was a significant success given that the initial proposal by the European Commission involved cuts of up to 25% for 25 of the 37 stocks of importance to Ireland. The crucial Hague quota preferences were also successfully defended after a number of Member States attempted to have them set aside. It appears that this system is likely to be challenged again this year and in that regard I want to assure the House that I will strongly resist any proposals to reduce or abolish our entitlements under these measures.
