Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 21 May 2013
560. Deputy Joe McHugh asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will ask his Department to engage with a fisherman who proposes to extend his interest in a fishery (details supplied) in County Donegal and if he will communicate directly with the person about this matter. [23693/13]
View answerRegulation (EU) No 227/2013 of 13 March 2013 amending Council Regulation (EC) No 850/98 introduced a relaxation of the restrictions on the use of Gillnets in Area VIa. Article 1 introduces an addendum to 850/98, Article 29 (d)(6) which permits catching Lesser Spotted Dogfish in Gillnets greater than 90mm, provided that:
(a) they are only deployed within 3 nautical miles of the coastline and for a maximum of 10 days per calendar month;
(b) the maximum length of gillnet deployed is 1000 metres;
(c) the maximum soak time is 24 hours; and
(d) at least 70 % of the catch is made up of lesser spotted dogfish.
Article 1 also introduces Article 29(d) 5 which allows a derogation to permit fishing in the east of Area VIa (commonly known as the French line), where catch composition is less than 5% cod or whiting using gillnets greater than 120mm subject to the following:
(a) they are only deployed in the area south of 59° N;
(b) the maximum length of gillnet deployed is 20 km per vessel;
(c) the maximum soak time is 24 hours; and
(d) no more than 5 % of the catch is made up of whiting and cod.
The Federation of Irish Fishermen (FIF) were asked for their views on a new entrants for a scheme for these gill net fisheries. The FIF requested that days at sea be made available to vessels under 15m who wish to fish within the terms of Council Regulation 227/2013, Article 1 amending, Article 29 (d) 5 outlined above, nets greater than 120mm targeting species other than whiting or cod. However the FIF did not recommend a new entrant scheme for vessels over 10m in relation to Council Regulation 227/2013 Article 1 amending, Article 29 (d) 6, in relation to the Lesser Spotted Dogfish fishery. Having considered the proposals, I have decided to advertise a new entrant scheme based on the FIF recommendation. Applications for this scheme are currently open and the application process was advertised in the Irish Independent on 17 May 2013; further details are available on the Department’s website. Accordingly, the named individual may apply to fish using nets of 120mm targeting whitefish other than whiting or cod as part of a new entrant scheme currently advertised.
