Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 22 September 2015
494. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will make available a seat on the Discards Implementation Group for the Sea Fishery Advisory Group of the Irish Seal Sanctuary and other environmental non-governmental organisations to provide important oversight of the landings obligation where serious problems with its implementation have already emerged. [30718/15]
View answerTo facilitate the phasing in of the landing obligation under the reformed Common Fisheries Policy, I established a national Discards Implementation Group (DIG) under the Chairmanship of Dr. Noel Cawley. The remit of this Group is to advise me on issues arising in the effective implementation of the new policy and to recommend practical solutions and arrangements that take into account the situation of the Irish industry. The primary aim of the group is ensure that the Irish fishing industry are fully prepared for, and engaged in, the practical implementation of the discards ban. Under the reformed CFP, Member States with a direct management interest in a particular region may propose joint recommendations on fisheries management to the Commission. Prior to making any recommendation, those Member States must consult with the relevant Advisory Council.
The key policy decisions with regard to the landing obligation e.g. what species are covered and when - have been and will continue to be made in the Regional Groups of Member States. Under the new Common Fisheries Policy the Regional Group must consult with the Advisory Councils (which include environmental NGO’s). In North Western Waters, a regional Group of Member States (Ireland, UK, Netherlands, Spain, France and Belgium) has submitted a joint recommendation on a Discards Plan for demersal species that will come into effect in 2016. Representatives of the relevant Advisory Council – the NWWAC (of which the Irish Seal Sanctuary is a member) – have been invited to and attended all meetings of this Group and their views fully taken into consideration.
Since the establishment of the Group I have asked that interested environmental NGO’s are kept updated on its deliberations on a regular basis and this will of course continue. I do not consider it necessary that they become part of the DIG given its particular remit in terms of practical implementation. I consider that they have every opportunity to input into discussions and inform advice within the Advisory Councils.
Consequently, I do not consider it necessary that environmental non-governmental organisations, including the Irish Seal Sanctuary, which will not have any direct role in implementing the landing obligation, become part of the DIG. As I have said previously, I have provided that such organisations are kept updated on the Group’s deliberations and this will remain the case.
I would be happy to consider carefully any information the Deputy may have regarding “serious problems” regarding the implementation of the landing obligation which currently applies to pelagic species only.
