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Fish Quotas

Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 27 February 2019

Wednesday, 27 February 2019

Questions (153)

Éamon Ó Cuív

Question:

153. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he has a policy to ensure that islanders have priority access to the seas around their islands for fishing purposes; his plans to make a special fishing quota available to island residents at a low cost in view of the fact that when quotas were introduced a lot of islanders had a small catch record due to the fact that on many of these islands there were no safe harbours for trawlers and all fishing was done out of currachs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9771/19]

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Written answers

It is long-standing Government policy that Ireland’s fish quotas are a national asset and there is no charge applied to the allocation of quotas. Ireland’s fish quota management system is designed to ensure the best possible spread both between fishing vessel operators and in terms of take up of quota throughout the year having regard to fishing patterns and market conditions. Many of the key inshore stocks on which the smaller fishing vessels rely are not limited by quota arrangements, for instance lobster which with crab are the mainstay for many small boats. Crab is subject to fishing effort limits (days at sea) set at EU level.

Quotas are managed based on the Minister's policy. Whitefish quotas are generally managed on a monthly basis and is not based on catch record. The Minister sets down catch limits for each quota stock following monthly consultation with the Quota Management Advisory Committee involving fishing industry representatives, including the National Inshore Fisheries Forum. The monthly catch limits applicable to whitefish stocks are dependent on the overall length of the vessel (the catch limit of a vessel which is over 55 feet (16.764m) in length overall, is double that of a vessel which is under 55 feet (16.764m) overall).

There are a number of pelagic stocks which are managed on the basis of the Minister’s policy for each stock. The policy for each stock was developed based on divergent criteria taking account of specific circumstances. There are a number of opportunities for vessels to target pelagic stocks which are open only to smaller fishing vessels and not based on catch record. For example, a boat of less than 18m overall length without a mackerel authorisation may avail of the catch limits for mackerel set down in the monthly Fisheries Management Notice for mackerel. The monthly catch limit is recommended by the Quota Management Advisory Committee and is usually set at 5 tonnes. A boat of less than 15m overall length fishing for mackerel by means of hooks and lines may without a mackerel authorisation, land up to 500kg of mackerel on any occasion.

Another example is herring stocks in the Celtic Sea. 11% of the national quota for Celtic Sea Herring is set aside for an open fishery. The fishery is open to boats <17m in length overall, with fishing confined to the "Dunmore Box" in the south east. This fishery usually operates from November to the end of the year. Interested boats are required to book in to the fishery in order to receive and authorisation and thereafter on weekly basis to receive a quota catch limit.

In the case of Horse Mackerel, 100t was set aside in 2018 for boats less than 12m to operate a fishery from June to the end of September. This will continue to operate in 2019.

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