Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 30 July 2020
937. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his plans to request a renegotiation of the EU Common Fisheries Policy with a view to securing additional proportion of quotas for Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20234/20]
View answerThe Common Fisheries Policy (CFP) is a set of rules for managing European fishing fleets and for conserving fish stocks. Designed to manage a common resource, it gives all European fishing fleets equal access to EU waters and fishing grounds and allows fishermen to compete fairly.
The current CFP came into force on 1 January 2014 following an extensive reform process and is due to be reviewed by the end of 2022. The review of the CFP is a detailed process involving extensive consultation with stakeholders across the EU. The European Commission has advised that it intends to commence the review process when there is clarity on the future relationship of the EU and the UK.
Relative stability refers to the fixed percentage share of fish stocks allocated to Member States and was established as a principle of the first Common Fisheries Policy in 1983. The percentage share of each stock for each Member State was based on the average catch of each Member State over a set reference period and has remained unchanged during each ten year cycle of reviews of the CFP.
It is important to note that the ongoing negotations on the future relationship with the UK are not a renegotiation of the CFP. The EU negotiating mandate for these discussions sets down very clearly the EU position to 'uphold existing reciprocal access conditions, quota shares and traditional activity of the Union fleet'. Over the coming period, the challenge facing us is to deliver an EU/ UK fisheries agreement that protects the interests of our fishing fleet and fishing communities and this is my priority and that of the Government.
