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Fishing Industry

Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 30 July 2020

Thursday, 30 July 2020

Questions (927)

Holly Cairns

Question:

927. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the incentives provided to fishing vessels to use selective fishing gear or using fishing techniques with reduced environmental impact; the number of quota holder incentives provided since 1 January 2018; the number that them are small-scale vessels (details supplied); the percentage of fishing vessels registered here they constitute.; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20134/20]

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Written answers

Ireland has strongly supported the introduction of more selective fishing gear to reduce catches of juvenile fish and unwanted by-catches.  Fishing gear trials have been carried out in our main fisheries working in collaboration with our fishing sector.  A number of changes to fishing gear and practices which demonstrate improved selectivity have been adopted at EU level following recommendations from  the North West Waters Member States Group (Ireland is a key member of the Group)  and most recently as part of the TAC and quota Regulation adopted in December 2020. 

In addition, national measures are adopted, informed by the experiences of quota management, most recently the setting of a minimum mesh size for our important nephrops fishery and setting conditions for gear used in this fishery that are additional to measures adopted at EU level.  

From time to time, the quota system is used to incentivise the introduction of environmentally friendly fishing gear in particular fisheries or for particular types of vessels usually in advance of seeking to implement change at EU level.

There are currently no financial incentives in place in respect of the use of selective fishing gear or using fishing techniques with reduced environmental impact.  Schemes for Nephrops were operated from September to December 2017, March to May and June to August 2018.  The purpose of the Nephrops schemes was to promote the use of more selective fishing gear in the Nephrops fishery.  The intention was to promote the use of fishing gears that had demonstrated the escape of unwanted catches, in particular (i) small Nephrops and (ii) small and/or quota-limited whitefish such as cod, whiting, haddock and black sole.

In the March to May 2018 scheme for Nephrops, there were five applicants of which four were in respect of vessels under 12 metres in length overall (80% of the total number of applicants). In the June to August 2018 scheme for Nephrops, there were two applicants. Both applicants were in respect of vessels under 12 metres in length overall. 

As of today, the total number of vessels on the Irish fleet register is 1,563 so that the percentage of fishing vessels partaking in the March to May 2018 Nephrops scheme and the June to August 2018 Nephrops scheme would be, in both cases, less than 1% of the total number of vessels on the Irish fleet register.

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