Martin Ferris
Question:628. Deputy Martin Ferris asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will undertake to set a quota for the catching of bass by Irish fishermen in Irish waters. [4436/13]
View answerTuesday, 29 January 2013
Questions (628)
Written answers
Irish vessels are currently precluded from landing Sea Bass under the Bass (Conservation of Stocks) Regulations 2006 (S.I. No. 230 of 2006) and the Bass (Restriction on Sale) Regulations 2007 (S.I. No. 367 of 2007). The complete ban for the commercial fishing of sea bass applies to Irish fishing vessels in all areas. These regulations were introduced as a co-ordinated set of measures with the Sea Bass Fishing Conservation bylaws. The by-laws impose a bag limit on anglers of two bass in any one period of 24 hours and a ban on angling for bass during the spawning season, from 15th May to 15th June in any given year. These measures have been in place since 1990 and were introduced arising from the dramatic decline of sea bass stocks in the 1970’s. Bass in Irish waters are a slow growing fish and, at a recruitment age of roughly 5 years, are late maturing fish. The distribution of bass around Europe is found mainly in southern waters, including the inshore waters of the south west of England and the English Channel. It is farmed extensively in Mediterranean waters.
The Marine Institute carried out an annual bass survey between the years 1996 and 2007. This survey validates previous research on the species and indicates that the stock of bass in Ireland’s inshore waters remains greatly depleted since the 1960s and 1970s. No reliable assessment is currently available for European sea bass in the north east Atlantic. ICES considers that a precautionary reduction of catches should be implemented. ICES gave advice for European sea bass stocks in September 2012. This advice states that commercial catches should be subject to a 20% reduction on landings in relation to the 2008-2010 average catch. ICES have also stated that management of sea bass fisheries need to take into account the distinctive characteristics and economic value of the different fisheries. Sea bass is of high social and economic value to large inshore fleets and to sea angling and recreational angling that contribute substantially to local communities.
There is a need to conduct scientific research on the biology and dynamics of sea bass in Irish waters. The Marine Institute have secured funding to start a PhD project on sea bass that will focus on the stock structure of Irish sea bass (what is their relationship to English Channel and Bay of Biscay stocks) and on the movements of sea bass off the south coast and into the Celtic Sea. This work will address clear knowledge gaps in the sea bass, but results will not be available until at least 2015.
The EU Commission indicated last year that it was considering introducing Total Allowable Catches (TACs) and quotas for seabass in specified fisheries management areas stretching from the North Sea down to waters off the coasts of Spain and Portugal for 2013. The Commission did not proceed with that proposal. The EU Commission had indicated that it proposed to use track record of landings of seabass by Member States fleets to establish each Member States shares of the TACs. As Ireland has implemented a complete closure of the commercial seabass fishery since 1990, under this methodology it would not receive any quota. I consider that it is unacceptable that the Irish fleet would not benefit from a share out of these fisheries because of the responsible approach taken to protect and rebuild the stock around Ireland. I made the case at the Fisheries Council and to the Commission that an alternative method of establishing access to the fisheries should be developed that allows Irish fishermen fishing opportunities for sustainable stocks of seabass in areas where the Irish fleet would operate. The EU Commission has not yet advised if it intends to pursue a TAC and quota regime for seabass for 2014. In that context, I will continue to press Ireland’s case at EU Fisheries Council meetings where the topic is discussed. I will consider management arrangements for seabass when and if Council decides on TACs and quotas for the relevant stocks.