Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 30 July 2020
928. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the percentage of the national quota that is allocated to small-scale vessels and or vessels using low impact gear (details supplied) for the period 1 January 2017 to 30 June 2020, in tabular form. [20135/20]
View answerIn Ireland, fish quotas are a public resource owned by the State and are made available to fishing vessels based on an overall policy framework which has been developed over the past 30 years. The key commercial whitefish quotas (cod, haddock, monk, hake etc) are managed on a monthly basis with maximum catch limits set for vessels. Pelagic stocks such as mackerel and herring are managed on an annual or seasonal basis with catch limits set based on allocation regimes developed over many years and primarily related to historical catch records.
The allocations are not owned by the vessel and when an allocation is not fished, it can not be transferred to another boat but is returned to the State for redistribution to the fleet in the normal way. The substantial advantage from a macro perspective of these arrangements is that it retains an Irish owned and operated fleet which makes the bulk of its landings to Irish ports and bases its operations in Ireland. If the fleet were not Irish owned, there would be a rapid concentration of ownership in a small number of international companies which are not likely to operate from Irelandand may not have any commercial links with Ireland.
The Irish fish quota management system is designed to ensure, having regard to fishing patterns and market conditions, a fair and rational allocation of quotas between fishing vessel operators and management to support fishing seasons and the availability of by-catch quotas during the year. The management arrangements have been set and developed over many years since the commencement of the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP) and the introduction of quotas. Any amendments or changes to the policy on management arrangements are determined by the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine following detailed analysis and full consultation with stakeholders. Within the Minister’s policy, allocations and other arrangements are decided by the Minister on an ongoing basis having regard for the advice of the Quota Management Advisory Committee (QMAC). This Committee is a formal consultative committee, involving fishing industry representatives from the catching, inshore and processing sectors. The QMAC is in place at the discretion of the Minister and is chaired by the Department.
The QMAC currently meets on a monthly basis. The purpose of these meetings is for the industry representatives to make recommendations to the Minister on monthly catch limits for particular demersal stocks. The Minister has regard for the recommendations, subject to the proper management and rational exploitation of our fisheries. Additional meetings are organised as required to discuss specific issues in particular fisheries that may arise.
I assume that the ‘small-scale’ vessels referred to in the question are those that have a length under 12 metres overall. While it would be difficult to determine the combined percentage that is made available as a catch limit to such vessels for each stock, fishery and vessel type, the arrangements are set out below that specify the catch limits made available to such vessels.
Allocation of demersal fishing quotas
Demersal fishing quotas are managed on the basis of catch limits that are set for each month. In demersal fisheries subject to the fishing vessels licence conditions, catch limits generally take account of the length of fishing vessels with larger vessels, having a length greater than or equal to 55 feet, being allocated double that of smaller fishing vessels, which have a length less than 55 feet.
In setting each monthly catch limit, the market situation for fish is also considered by members of the QMAC and in certain fisheries the allocation of catch limits takes into account the type of fishing gear deployed. For example, for the Haddock fisheries in ICES Division 7a and ICES Divisions 7b-k, sub areas 8, 9 and 10, a higher catch limit is allocated to vessels that are fishing exclusively by means of Danish/Scottish Fly Seines. Any vessel fishing for Haddock in these areas exclusively by means of Danish/Scottish Fly Seines will typically be allocated triple the standard limit being allocated to smaller vessels which have a length less than 55 feet.
For demersal fisheries and subject to licence conditions, small-scale vessels have the same fishing opportunities as any other vessel of a length that is less than 55 feet.
Allocation of pelagic fishing quotas
In pelagic fisheries, catch limits are allocated in accordaince with the Policy set for each fishery and within these arrangments catch limits are made available that have regard for vessel length within segments.
The Herring, Mackerel, Horse Mackerel and Sprat fisheries are the more important pelagic species for small scale vessels. I have provided below a description of the management arrangements in respect of pelagic fisheries from 2017 as described herewith.
Albacore Tuna
In 2020, there are two separate categories for the operation of this fishery: Group A and Group B. Group A vessels operate using pair trawling and may also use Trolling and Surface Long-Lining. Group B vessels operate exclusively by means of Trolling and Surface Long-lining where no pair-trawling is allowed for the year. A vessel may only be in one category for the duration of the fishery.
An amount of 200 tonnes is set aside for vessels operating within Group B and to act as a contingency for both Groups A and B. The remaining quota is allocated to the vessels within Group A where a trip limit of 55 tonnes per trip is set for each vessel.
The 2020 management arrangements are in line with arrangements adopted in 2017, 2018 and 2019 for the Albacore Tuna fishery where 200 tonnes was set aside for the Group B fishery and to act as a contingency.
Boarfish:
In 2018, 2019 and 2020, the Boarfish fishery has been operated as an open fishery for all vessels for the relevant fishery management periods. All vessels that wish to participate in the fishery must be authorised to do so. Catch limits are not applied.
In September 2017, the landings of Boarfish were reviewed and it was decided that the Boarfish fishery should operate as an open fishery for all vessels as the uptake of Boarfish was low and has remained so.
Blue Whiting:
The nature of this fishery is that it is not suitable for fishing by smaller vessels. In 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2020, the quota for Blue Whiting after a contingency amount has been deducted has been allocated to vessels in the following way:
- All 23 Refrigerated Sea Water (RSW) Pelagic segment vessels and 10 polyvalent vessels are authorised for this fishery.
- 91% of the quota remaining after the contingency has been deducted from the overall quota is allocated to the RSW pelagic vessels.
- 9% of the quota remaining after the contingency has been deducted from the overall quota is allocated to the 10 polyvalent vessels.
Horse Mackerel:
In 2020, 24 tonnes has been set aside from the overall Horse Mackerel quota for the summer fishery for vessels that are under 12 metres in length overall fishing exclusively by means of ring nets.
1,350 tonnes has been assigned to polyvalent vessels not included within the Policy for a directed fishery set in 2005. 24 tonnes of this amount has also been designated for the summer fishery for vessels that are under 12 metres in length overall fishing exclusively by means of ring nets.
The remaining quota has been assigned to the 29 vessels covered by the Policy for a directed fishery set in 2005:
- 23 RSW Pelagic segment Vessels – 88.3% of the allocation
- 6 Polyvalent Vessels – 11.7% of the allocation
In years 2019, 2018 and 2017 a similar approach to the allocation of Horse Mackerel allocation was taken.
Mackerel:
In 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2020, the quota for Mackerel after a contingency amount has been deducted has been allocated to vessels in the following way:
- 400 tonnes has been allocated to vessels under 15 metres in length overall fishing exclusively by hooks and lines
- 87% of the quota remaining after the contingency and 400 tonnes have been deducted from the overall quota are allocated to the RSW pelagic segment vessels
- 13% of the quota remaining after the contingency and 400 tonnes have been deducted from the overall quota are allocated to polyvalent vessels. This is broken down as follows:
- 76.5% is allocated to 15 Tier 1 vessels
- 21% to 12 Tier 2 vessels
- 2.5% to vessels operating in the under 18 metres open fishery
Sprat:
Up until 1st January 2020, the sprat fishery was operated as an open fishery for all vessels. From 1st January 2020, restrictions on large vessels trawling inside the 6 nautical mile zone have come into effect. These restrictions mean that all trawling by vessels over 18 metres in length overall is to cease, with derogations in place for a sprat fishery in 2020 and 2021 only. From 1st January 2022, all vessels over 18 metres in length overall will no longer be permitted to trawl for any stocks inside the 6 nautical mile zone.
Atlanto-Scandian Herring:
This fishery is not suitable for small scale fishing vessels. In 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2020, the quota for Atlanto-Scandian Herring after a contingency amount has been deducted has been allocated to vessels in the following way:
- 85% of the quota is allocated to RSW Pelagic segment vessels
- 15% of the quota is allocated to polyvalent vessels
Irish Sea Herring:
In 2017 a single pair of vessels received 200t, chosen by lottery. The balance of the quota was swapped. In 2018, the available quota of 1,850 tonnes was allocated to 13 vessels chosen by lottery. In 2019, the available quota of 1,665 tonnes was allocated to 13 vessels chosen by lottery. The management arrangements for 2020 have not yet been finalised.
In 2018 and 2019, the quota for Irish Sea Herring was allocated to the vessels of overall length less than 90 feet based on the registered length of vessels in feet as per the ratios set out below:
- Vessels > 80 ft - 80
- Vessels 65-79.99 ft - 60
- Vessels 50-64.99ft - 50
- Vessels 40- 49.99ft - 40
- Vessels <40ft – 30
(Note: The numbers above are weighted units that are used to determine the quota allocations per vessel and are not amounts in tonnes.)
Celtic Sea Herring:
The management arrangements for the Celtic Sea Herring fishery have not been finalised for the 2020 Autumn fishery which will be managed to support data collection for the stock. In 2019, the fishery was closed early because of a high level of juvenile fish in the catch. In 2017, 2018 and 2019 after a contingency amount was deducted, the quota was allocated in the following way:
- The Main fishery was assigned 84% of the quota
- The Sentinel fishery, which was confined to vessels under 17 metres in length overall and to the Dunmore box, received 11% of the quota
- The Open fishery, which was confined to vessels under 20 metres in length overall, received 5% of the quota.
North West Herring:
In 2017, 2018 and 2019, this fishery was operated as a scientific monitoring fishery and the Managment Policy (2012) has set aside. Allocations have been made available to support the collection of data for the stock.
