Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 26 May 2010
118 Deputy Christy O’Sullivan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food the outcome of the recent informal Fisheries Council in Vigo, Spain, in relation to the reform of the Common Fisheries Policy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21847/10]
View answerThe Informal Meeting of Fisheries Ministers in Vigo, Spain at the start of this month was attended by Sean Connick TD, Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries & Food. The purpose of the meeting was to discuss the reform of the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP). Discussions at the meeting were to inform a working document concerning reform options which will be prepared by the Commission and presented at the Agriculture and Fisheries Council scheduled for the 28th and 29th June 2010. Ireland submitted a comprehensive report to the EU Commission in February 2010, setting out the national position on the CFP Reform process. The Reform of the CFP is vital to our fishing industry and will be one of the most significant challenges we will face in the next few years.
During the informal meeting, Minister Connick set out Ireland's position for his Ministerial colleagues and heard their thoughts and the reasons for the approaches they are proposing. Minister Connick also availed of the opportunity to meet with Ministers that hold similar views on aspects of the reform in order to form alliances that will strengthen our case in the upcoming intensive negotiations on the CFP reform. It is now clear that there are some divergent views on aspects of the reform process, but we are confident that we can work with our Ministerial colleagues and the EU Commission to produce a practical and effective policy for fisheries into the future.
Ireland's priorities for the new CFP are set out clearly in the submission which can be accessed in its entirety on www.fishingnet.ie. Central to those priorities are:
A new focus on addressing discarding of fish at sea.
The retention of a management system based on national quotas supported by increased flexibility.
A complete rejection of the mandatory privatisation of fish quotas or the international trading of fish quotas.
New measures to strengthen the market for EU producers and the prices being achieved by our fishermen.
New measures to develop an environmentally and economically sustainable aquaculture sector, which could reduce our dependence on imported products.
Greater regionalisation of the decision making process with an enhanced role for industry.
Under the planned EU timetable for the review, a summary of the consultation process has been published. It will be followed by a legislative proposal to the Council and the European Parliament to be adopted in 2011, with a view to its entering into force in 2012. A working document concerning reform options is being prepared by the Commission and is expected to be presented at the Agriculture and Fisheries Council scheduled for the 28th and 29th June 2010.
Nationally, we intend to continue close collaboration with the Federation of Irish Fishermen and the other stakeholders to put Ireland's case forward during the review, to vigorously defend Ireland's maritime interests, and to convince our colleagues in other Member States and in the Commission to strengthen the current policy in line with Ireland's submission on the reform of the CFP.
