Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 8 June 2016
72. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his plans to develop lobster hatcheries to help enhance the lobster population; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14490/16]
View answerLobster fishing is an important economic activity in coastal fishing communities all around Ireland. Stock advice is available online in the Shellfish Stocks and Fisheries Review, prepared by the Marine Institute (MI) and an Bord Iascaigh Mhara (BIM). According to the 2012 Review, some 1,700 boats, approximately three quarters of the Irish fleet, participated in the fishery between April and October 2012 on all Irish coasts. The most recent stock advice from the Shellfish Stocks and Fisheries Review 2012 noted that the egg production level for the stock is estimated to be below generally accepted limit reference points. A number of conservation measures apply to lobster at present, including:
- The Lobster (Conservation of Stocks) Regulations 2014 (S.I. 591 of 2014) provide legal protection for lobsters v-notched under an incentivised National Lobster V-Notching Programme which provides financial support for fishermen engaged in conservation practice of v-notching live lobsters and returning them to sea to contribute to the reproductive capacity of the stock;
- A national maximum landing size for lobster of 127mm, which took effect from 1 January 2015 in the aforementioned national regulations ;
- An increase in grant aid to fishermen for the voluntary v-notching of lobsters from the existing rate of 55% to a new maximum of 75 % of the market price;
- Transitional arrangements that provide fishermen with grant aid of up to 80 % of the market price for v-notching oversize lobsters and returning them alive to sea during the first two years of the maximum landing size measure;
- EU regulations prohibiting the landing of lobsters of less than 87mm in carapace length.
Article 11 of Regulation (EU) No 508/2014 sets out ineligible operations under the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund (EMFF) including “direct restocking, unless explicitly provided for as a conservation measure by a Union legal act or in the case of experimental restocking”
The focus of the national management measures has been to improve the management of the fishing activity affecting the stock with the aim of achieving sustainability and taking account of scientific advice; improved management in an extensive fishery such as lobster can have a more significant economic effect compared to other measures. Preliminary feedback from the changes to the v-notching scheme in particular has been positive and I anticipate that future reviews of this fishery will recommend further options that can be explored in partnership with appropriate stakeholders.
The National Inshore Fisheries Forum (NIFF) was established specifically to give inshore fishermen a voice in policy making and decisions on inshore fisheries management and to work with the Department and the marine agencies in developing robust, scientifically sound measures to support sustainable fisheries into the future. I look forward to working with the NIFF on proposals for lobster and other sea-fishing activities that the inshore sector identifies as priorities for both policy development and, where eligible, for appropriate funding under the EMFF Operational Programme.
