Bernard Durkan
Question:480. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his vision for the future development of the fishing industry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14595/13]
View answerTuesday, 26 March 2013
Questions (480)
Written answers
My present plans for the development of the seafood sector are set out in the Seafood Development Programme 2007-2013, and the complementary Irish Seafood National Programme 2007-2013, which identify the investment priorities for the development of the sector up to 2015. The Seafood Development Programme includes the overwhelming majority of initiatives for the development of the sector. That Programme is co-funded by the European Union under the European Fisheries Fund. It was considerably updated in 2012, following an interim evaluation of its progress. The Programme identifies the development needs of the catching, processing and aquaculture sectors and the measures that will be implemented to address those needs.
The complementary Irish Seafood National Programme is the framework programme for a small number of measures that are not eligible for EU co-funding and thus cannot be included in the main programme.
A new EU Regulation is presently being negotiated to replace the European Fisheries Fund from 2014 to 2020. My Department has commenced preparation of a new operational programme to cover investment needs for that programming period. As part of that process, my Department will shortly be initiating a stakeholder consultation to identify the investment needs of the sector. My Department is aiming to have that new Programme completed early in 2014.