Written Answers Nos. 99-111
99. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the expected expenditure by his Department under the green low-carbon agri-environment scheme in 2015; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40946/15]
View answerThe 2015 estimates include an allocation of €20m to cover GLAS payments in the current year. This will be sufficient to make an 85% first instalment payment to all applicants with a 1 October commencement date, who are approved for part-year payment in 2015. The prepayment validations are being prepared at present and the actual expenditure in 2015 can only be accurately forecast when that process is complete for all approved participants.
100. Deputy Noel Harrington asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the licence arrangement agreed that allows a Lithuanian flagged fishing vessel (details supplied) to operate in the Irish economic zone; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40965/15]
View answer101. Deputy Noel Harrington asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the International Council for the Exploration of the Seas divisions within which a Lithuanian flagged vessel (details supplied) is entitled to operate; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40966/15]
View answer102. Deputy Noel Harrington asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the total allowable catch allocated to Lithuania of all species within the Irish economic zone, in each International Council for the Exploration of the Seas division; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40967/15]
View answer103. Deputy Noel Harrington asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if Ireland has agreed quota swaps with Lithuania; the amount of these by species from 2007 to 2015 to date in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40968/15]
View answer104. Deputy Noel Harrington asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of fishing vessels and their nationality with on-board processing capabilities, currently operating within all pelagic fisheries areas in the Irish economic zone; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40969/15]
View answer105. Deputy Noel Harrington asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the State's monitoring and enforcement regime for non-EU fishing vessels with on-board processing capabilities, operating in the Irish economic zone; if this monitoring includes the presence of authorised officers on board the fishing vessels; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40970/15]
View answer106. Deputy Noel Harrington asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the total allowable catch allocated to all European Union states for all pelagic species within each division outlined by the International Council for the Exploration of the Seas in the Irish economic zone, for each of the years 2010 to 2015 to date, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40971/15]
View answer107. Deputy Noel Harrington asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the change in fishing practices by vessels with processing capability that has occurred since the landing obligation was introduced in the pelagic sector in January 2015. [40972/15]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 100 to 107, inclusive, together.
Under the Common Fisheries Policy fishing vessels must be licensed and registered in accordance with Articles 22 and 24 of EU Regulation 1380/2013 and Articles 6 and 7 of EU Regulation 1224/2009. The fishing opportunities available to vessels, including within the Irish Exclusive Fishery Zone (EFZ) for 2015 are set out in TAC and Quota Regulation on a stock by stock basis (Council Regulation (EU) 104/2015 dated 19 January 2015 as amended by Council Regulation 2015/523 of 25 March 2015, Council Regulation 2015/960 of 19th June and Council Regulation 2015/1961 of 26 October). In addition to the TACs and quotas set down each year by the Fisheries Council, under the rules of the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP), a Member State may also swap (exchange) quotas with other Member States in a particular year. Details of fishing opportunities available to Member States in EU waters in recent years are available on the Maritime Affairs and Fisheries DG website, using the following link http://ec.europa.eu/fisheries/cfp/fishing_rules/tacs/index_en.htm
Lithuania has received a swop for 2015 in respect of Horse Mackerel in ICES area VI, VII, receiving that quota from another Member State, which may be fished in ICES Areas VI and VII which includes Ireland's Exclusive Fisheries Zone. This data is provided on FIDES, the official EU Database of fishing opportunities. The FIDES database shows that Lithuania has a quota of 644 tonnes of Mackerel in ICES Zones VI, VII, VIb, XIb of which 544 tonnes has been caught. Lithuania also has a quota of 5,953 tonnes of Horse Mackerel in IIa, IVa, VI, VIIa-c, VIIe-k, VIIIa, VIIIb, VIIId, VIIIe of which 4,085 tonnes has been caught.
All fishing opportunities set down in the TAC and Quota Regulation each year are determined by the EU Fisheries Council based on the scientific advice provided by the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES). ICES, in providing advice, considers all of the available data including catch and landing data supplied by the Member States and data provided by Member States scientific bodies, in Ireland’s case – the Marine Institute. The collection and transmission of catch and landings data is mandatory. Member States are also responsible for the collection of scientific data in accordance with EU Data Collection provisions.
Under Regulation (EU) No 1380/2013 (the CFP basic regulation), changes to fisheries policy involving access or restriction to fishing opportunities or fishing areas come within the sole competency of the EU. Only the EU Commission may propose changes and any such proposal must be adopted under the co-decision process by the EU Parliament and EU Council. Member States, in consultation with the Commission, Member States affected and stakeholders are permitted to introduce non-discriminatory measures for the conservation and management of fish stocks within the 12 mile zone subject to compliance with policy and procedures set down in CFP Regulation. However, access to the 12 mile zone is set down in the CFP Regulation and may not be changed by an individual Member State.
One of the key elements of the reformed Common Fisheries Policy is the introduction of a phased ban on the discarding of unwanted fish catches. The first part of the landing obligation, the ban on discarding pelagic stocks such as herring and mackerel, came into effect on the 1st of January 2015. The EU Commission adopted a Delegated Regulation (EU) No 1393/2014 on 20 October 2014 which implements a discard plan for certain pelagic fisheries in north-western waters in line with the recommendation of the North West Waters Member States Group. A Control Experts Group from the North West Waters Regional Group of Member States has been set up and has produced a draft set of recommendations on additional control measures for the pelagic sector in respect of the landing obligation in pelagic fisheries. These draft recommendations have been sent to the Pelagic Advisory Council and the North Western Advisory Council in accordance with article 18 of the CFP basic regulation (EU No 1380/2013) for their observations. When these are received, the draft recommendations will be considered by the NWW Member States Group.
Control of the vessel within Ireland’s Exclusive Fisheries Zone is as a matter for the Irish control authorities who monitor fishing activity of all vessels operating the area. The Control authorities have on-going information in relation to the vessels operating in the Irish Exclusive Fisheries zone including their activities and characteristics. Under the Sea Fisheries and Maritime Jurisdiction Act, 2006, all operational issues of this nature concerning sea fisheries control are, as a matter of law, exclusively for the Sea Fisheries Protection Authority (SFPA) and the Naval Service. As Minister, I am precluded from getting involved in operational matters including in relation to law enforcement.
108. Deputy Noel Harrington asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the status of a farm payment for a person (details supplied) in County Cork; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40981/15]
View answerAn application under Basic Payment/Areas of Natural Constraints Scheme was received from the person named on 29 May, 2015. Processing of the application is currently in progress. On completion of this process, the application will be further reviewed with a view to payment issuing directly to the nominated bank account of the person named at the earliest possible date.
109. Deputy Noel Harrington asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the status of a farm payment for a person (details supplied) in County Cork; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40982/15]
View answerThe person named submitted a 2015 Basic Payment/Areas of Natural Constraint Scheme application on 21 May 2015. EU Regulations governing the administration of these schemes require that full and comprehensive administrative checks, including in some cases on farm inspections, be completed before any payments issue.
The application of the person named was selected for an ovine animal identification and registration inspection.
This inspection has been completed and the results finalised. Payments due under the Basic Payment scheme issued to the nominated bank account of the person named on 12 November 2015. Payments due under the Areas of Natural Constraint Scheme will issue shortly.
110. Deputy Paul J. Connaughton asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine why a person (details supplied) in County Galway has not received payment under the areas of natural constraint scheme or the basic payment scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40996/15]
View answerThere is no record of the person named having lodged an application under the 2015 Basic Payment/Areas of Natural Constraint Scheme with my Department.
111. Deputy Patrick O'Donovan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the status of a single payment for a person (details supplied) in County Wexford; when will payment be made; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41000/15]
View answerThe person named submitted a 2015 Basic Payment /Areas of Natural Constraint Scheme application on 27 May 2015. EU Regulations governing the administration of these schemes require that full and comprehensive administrative checks, including in some cases Remote Sensing (i.e. satellite) inspections, be completed before any payments issue. The application of the person named was selected for a Remote Sensing eligibility inspection. This inspection is currently being processed with the intention of issuing any payments due under the Direct Payments Schemes as soon as possible. In the event that any queries arise officials in my Department will be in contact with the person named.
