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Fish Quotas

Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 27 November 2019

Wednesday, 27 November 2019

Questions (62)

Thomas Pringle

Question:

62. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the way in which north west scientific quota for herring impacts on the Lough Foyle herring fishery; his view on whether it should be managed separately; if vessels and skippers have to show tract record specifically on that fishery in order to have received a quota allocation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49081/19]

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Written answers

The boundary line between the herring stock in 5b,6b and 6aN (6aN) and the herring stock in 6aSouth, 7b and 7c (6aS 7bc) is along the 7degree west line which cuts through the Foyle. Although they are considered to be separate stocks, herring in the southern part of 6a and 7bc is combined with that from the northern part of 6a by ICES for the purposes of assessment. This is because the survey and catch data that informs the assessment includes mixed aggregations of herring. Currently, work is underway to determine markers (genetic and physical) which may be used to separate the stocks in the survey and in any potential mixed catches.

As herring in both stock areas are in a depleted state, ICES has advised zero catches since 2016 for each. However, ICES also advises that a low level of catch could be taken to facilitate sampling of the stock in support of the stock assessment and the ongoing genetic work on stock identity.

The EU set a TAC of 5,800 t each year from 2016-2019 with 4,170 t allocated to 6aN and 1,630 t allocated to 6aS 7bc. The proposal for 2020 is 17% decrease for both areas to bring the TACs into line with ICES advice. The herring caught in the Foyle cannot be considered a separate herring stock and there is no case that it should be subject to a separate TAC and quota regime. The 7W meridian which divides the two stock areas cuts through the Foyle, much of Lough Foyle is west of 7W and thus can be considered as part of the 6aS 7bc TAC area.

The 2012 herring management policy has been set aside because this is a scientific data collection fishery which is being made available to support sampling to provide a more accurate picture of the state of the stock. The arrangements in place for 2019 have been discussed and proposed by industry following a meeting of industry stakeholders held on 26 July 2019. The arrangements provide opportunities for 19 under 12m vessels which did not have a track record under the 2012 herring policy. Other category of vessels in the fishery were required to have the track record as set down in the 2012 policy. Vessels were invited to book into the fishery and were selected by lottery. The fishery opened on 28 October.

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