Joe McHugh
Question:70. Deputy Joe McHugh asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his efforts to support the fishing industry in Area VIa; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39148/13]
View answerTuesday, 24 September 2013
Questions (70)
Written answers
My remit as Minister is to do all that I can to support a viable and sustainable fishing industry throughout Ireland, including those parts of the industry that operate in Area VIa. One of the key ways in which I do this is by negotiating on behalf of Ireland at the annual December EU Fisheries Council Meeting.
As the Deputy is aware, fishing quotas for all EU Member States are set each year at this Council. My primary aim has always been, and always will be, to achieve an outcome that protects the overall interests of the Irish fishing industry while respecting the most up-to-date scientific advice for stocks of critical importance to our fleets. I will once again aim to ensure a fair and balanced outcome for Ireland at the EU Fisheries Council Meeting next December. It will as always be challenging, but under the newly reformed CFP, the changes proposed, once implemented and embedded, will provide the basis for a significant period of growth in the Irish fishing industry.
In relation to Area VIa specifically, I will aim to achieve the best possible outcome with regard to the stocks of most importance to our vessels operating in that area such as haddock, megrim, monkfish, herring, mackerel, and boarfish. The formal proposals for 2014 quotas have not yet issued from the Commission but they are expected to be published within a matter of weeks. Once they have been received and analysed I will initiate a consultation process with all major stakeholders and expert contributions from the Marine Institute (MI) and Bord Iascaigh Mhara (BIM). There is a lot of negotiating to be done between now and December but I can assure the Deputy that no effort will be spared to secure the best possible result.
In a wider context, I am committed to continuing the path set out in Food Harvest 2020 for the development of the seafood sector in Ireland. Food Harvest 2020 identifies the potential of the seafood industry to increase employment from the present level of 11,000 to 14,000 full time equivalent jobs by 2020, mostly in peripheral coastal communities such as those bordering Area VIa.
In addition, there are a range of supports available to the seafood sector through the Seafood Development Programme 2007-2013. For the catching sector, these include grants for fleet modernisation and safety, environmental management systems and selective fishing gear. These schemes are implemented by Bord Iascaigh Mhara (BIM). BIM also provides a range of training courses for the catching sector. More generally, grants are available from BIM for the development of the processing and aquaculture sectors. Full details are available from BIM’s website at www.bim.ie/schemes.