Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 18 February 2015
84. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the extent to which various species of fish stocks have improved in the wake of European Union and national conservation measures over the past ten years; the species still causing concern, or showing little or no improvement; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7243/15]
View answerScientific information on the state of the fisheries resources exploited by the Irish fleet is compiled by the Marine Institute and is published in the Stock Book each year.
The 2014 Stock Book informs us that in relation to stocks of a healthy biological state, there was an improvement in 2014 compared with 2013 on the state of the resource base in relation to pressure indicators. In all 73 stocks are subject to the scientific advice of the Marine Institute. This is an increase from 59 stocks last year, mainly due to the addition of a number of skates and rays stocks. There is a higher number, 25 stocks, assessed to be sustainably fished in 2014, up from 20 last year. The proportion remains the same due to the higher number of stocks being assessed overall this year. The number of stocks overfished has also increased from 14 in 2013 to 22 in 2014. This is due to the inclusion of 4 new stocks (rays and sea bass) and 4 stocks have gone from unknown status or underfished to overfished. The number of stocks with unknown status is 26, which is similar to last year.
In respect of the biomass of stocks, that is the quantity of mature fish in the sea, approximately one quarter, or 17 stocks are in a positive state with above biomass trigger points. The number of depleted stocks has increased from 7 to 12 and now 16% of stocks are assessed to be depleted. The number of stocks with unknown Spawning Stock Biomass (SSB), no assessments or undefined maximum rate of fishing mortality (Fmsy) remains relatively high involving 44 stocks. Many of these stocks have good information on biomass trends and this informs scientific advice for the stocks.
A Key element of the new CFP is the setting of fishing levels on the basis of Maximum Sustainable Yield (MSY). This will be phased in gradually, applying by 2015 where possible and by 2020 at the latest for all stocks. This will result in more fish being left in the sea to mature and reproduce leading to increased abundance of fish, and over time to higher quotas for Irish fishermen.
The EU Commission has noted that the state of fish stocks in European Atlantic and nearby waters continues to improve which I believe indicates that we are finally starting to see the benefits of prudent and responsible fisheries management practices.
