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European Fisheries Fund

Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 20 February 2014

Thursday, 20 February 2014

Questions (214)

Noel Harrington

Question:

214. Deputy Noel Harrington asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will provide funding to compensate fishermen for loss of income due to the severe weather, and if not, if he has applied for access to the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund, EMFF, which provides for such funding; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8628/14]

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Written answers

Fishing through the winter is difficult in normal circumstances but I am acutely conscious that the severe weather has caused the fishing fleet to be tied up for quite an extended period, a longer period than would be the norm with more typical winter weather. As the catching sector is by definition dependent on being able to go out and catch fish, and crews earn their living through a share of the catch, many fishermen are suffering financially because of this extended period restricted to port. With the present long overdue break in the weather, I am happy to report that many of the vessels that were harbour bound due to the severe weather are now back fishing and eagerly seeking to make up for lost time.

I always work very closely with the fishing industry, and I am advised by it when setting catch limits during the year. Each month, a Quota Management Advisory Committee involving industry representatives and experts from my Department meet and examine available quota, uptake levels and the market situation and make recommendations to me on catch limits for the following month. Given the difficult financial situation faced by many fishermen because of their restricted fishing opportunities so far this year, I have asked for the Quota Management Advisory Committee to meet this Friday with a view to immediately reviewing upwards the catch limits for February and March. The objective of the meeting will be to secure industry support with a view to immediately increasing quotas available to fishermen to allow them catch more fish in the coming weeks, if the weather continues to be suitable for fishing, allowing them to increase their income to compensate for their earlier losses.

In relation to any specific payments to compensate for lost earnings, the Minister for Social Protection has the overall responsibility for funding income support to individuals and families in the circumstances that have arisen. Minister Burton’s Department runs a number of schemes to support people in circumstances of loss of income.

While the co-legislators have reached political agreement on the proposed Regulation establishing the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund, it will not be adopted in law until probably June this year. My Department is working to prepare a new Operational Programme for the seafood sector under the EMFF. That Programme is dependent on the progress of the proposed Regulation and so is likely to be finalised towards the end of the year. Decisions on what to do with the finite resources available to Ireland under that Operational Programme will be a key element of that work and I am working closely with all stakeholders in making those hard choices between many competing and worthwhile investment priorities. It is thus premature from both a legal and practical perspective to consider employing the EMFF to assist fishermen in the present situation.

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