I propose to take Questions Nos. 557 to 563, inclusive, together.
The action by the UK in announcing its withdrawal from the 1964 London Fisheries Convention was not unexpected. The UK Government had been intimating this decision for some time now. It is nonetheless unwelcome and unhelpful as it suggests a signal of the UK intent to take a hard line on fisheries in the context of Brexit.
There are no immediate direct impacts for the Irish fishing industry from this action as it will not take effect for two years. Any longer term impacts will only become clear in the overall context of the Brexit negotiations. It is the message of intent and the potential implications of that intent in the wider 12 to 200 mile zone that causes concern for the negotiations to come.
The Convention deals primarily with the right of a number of countries to fish in each other's 6 to 12 mile fishing zones based on historic fishing activity. Most of these rights were later incorporated into the Common Fisheries Policy.
Under the Convention, the Irish fishing fleet has access to parts of the UK 6-12 mile zone while the UK fleet has similar access to parts of the Irish zone. The Irish fleet is not significantly dependant on this limited access. We do however catch significant quantities of fish in UK waters outside of the 12 mile zone.
As Michel Barnier noted after the UK announcement, the decision to withdraw from the London Fisheries Convention will not trigger any immediate change and he is focused on prioritising the fisheries interests of the EU 27. This will not be a piecemeal negotiation with fisheries isolated from the wider negotiations on a post Brexit EU/UK relationship. There is a long way to go yet and nothing will be agreed until everything is agreed. For this Government there are two clear objectives when it comes to fisheries and Brexit – the maintenance of our existing quota shares and our existing rights of access. These have, and will continue to be, my overriding priority.
In theory, the UK could indeed restrict access to their waters and or seek to gain larger quota shares at the expense of others. However, that could only happen if the UK were content to ignore the potential repercussions that would certainly arise from the EU side.
To achieve these objectives, we must have unity of purpose across the Member States directly concerned and across the fishing industry. Disunity will only strengthen those in the UK that seek to exclude all EU fleets.
I spoke with Secretary of State Michael Gove last week and stressed to him the importance of long established fishing patterns by the Irish fishing fleet and the importance of these being acknowledged and protected in the context of Brexit. I have previously discussed fisheries issues amongst other matters with his predecessor as Secretary of State, Andrea Leadsom, on two separate occasions. I have also discussed Fisheries, with a particular focus on the London Fishing Convention along with general access issues with Minister George Eustice during a meeting at the Luxembourg Agriculture Council on the 3rd of April.
I have had 3 separate meetings with Fisheries Commissioner Vella where I have discussed Ireland's concerns regarding Brexit as well as a number of key bilaterals with other Ministers. In addition, my officials are in constant contact with their counterparts in the European Commission and relevant Member States.
As the negotiations develop, unilateral sectoral announcements, like this one on the London Convention, will be dealt with, as this will be, within the Brexit negotiation process and there will be no room, or indeed intent, to address issues in isolation.
My Department and our associated agencies, BIM, the Marine Institute and Bord Bia are currently working closely together on all of the potential impacts of Brexit. My Department has been preparing for Brexit for over 2 years. Following the UK referendum in June 2016, I established a dedicated Brexit Co-ordination Unit. This Unit now forms part of a newly formed Brexit and International Trade Division. It comprises four staff working full-time on the co-ordination of Brexit issues, reporting to a full-time Head of Division at Principal Officer level, who in turn reports to an Assistant Secretary General deeply engaged in Brexit issues. Many staff throughout my Department are working on Brexit related issues. My Fisheries Division has four people preparing for the Brexit negotiations and the implications Brexit could have on the Irish seafood industry. In overall terms, my Department is continuing to monitor the future workforce needs of both the Department and its agencies in relation to Brexit, and will be keeping resource allocations under close review as the negotiations proceed.
It is important to remember that the EU itself will continue, as will the Common Fisheries Policy once the UK has left. The process for reviewing and revising the CFP in preparation for a new Policy will commence around the same time and will be due for completion in 2022. Ireland will again be a central player in that renegotiation.
I am firmly of the view that now is not the time to commence our internal consideration of the review of the CFP. We must concentrate all our efforts on the Brexit negotiations at this time and until Brexit is completed. The discussion on the post Brexit CFP will undoubtedly occur in earnest once the Brexit arrangements are clear. For the coming period it is important to keep the focus on Brexit.
I am working closely with our fishing industry and held a detailed public discussion with stakeholders just the other week in Galway. I will remain in close contact with fisheries stakeholders as the issues develop and work with them and my fellow fisheries Ministers in the EU to ensure that we are all fully prepared for what are likely to be extremely complex negotiations.
I strongly believe that a unified front on these matters is best for Ireland, the EU and the continued sustainability of our stocks.
In conclusion, I would like to assure Deputies that I aim to ensure that fisheries are inextricably linked to overall trade discussions during the negotiations. I will also be unequivocal in opposing any dilution of our existing EU quota shares, including protecting the benefit to Ireland of the Hague Preferences, and any limitations on our existing rights of access.
