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Fishing Industry

Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 5 November 2020

Thursday, 5 November 2020

Questions (342)

Michael Creed

Question:

342. Deputy Michael Creed asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the status of progress on coastal State negotiations on mackerel allocations for 2021; the way in which these negotiations are being progressed in the context of the imminent departure of the UK from the European Union; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34518/20]

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Written answers

Management arrangements for three migratory stocks in the North East Atlantic in which Ireland has an interest - Mackerel, Blue Whiting and Atlanto-Scandian Herring - are negotiated by means of a Coastal States Framework between parties in whose waters significant concentrations of the fish stock are to be found and who have had a track record in the fishery.

The Coastal State Consultations are being conducted by video conference this year due to the COVID-19 Pandemic. This year, the UK is attending these consultations as a Coastal State for the first time. The European Commission, on behalf of the EU, negotiates with the UK and the other Coastal States.

The European Commission has exclusive competency to negotiate fishery agreements on behalf of the EU Member States. The Commission operates under a mandate set by Council and any agreement is formally adopted by Council. Member States attend the formal Plenary meeting. Regular co-ordination meetings through the Council Working Party are held during the negotiations where the Commission updates the Member States on issues/progress and the Member States set out their positions and respond to issues as they develop. Ireland, as always, is represented at the Coastal State negotiations by officials from my Department with scientific support from the Marine Institute. Industry representatives attend the Plenary meetings and are consulted on an ongoing basis by my Department.

The consultations on Mackerel took place on 26 and 27 October and concluded with parties reaching a consensus on an oral agreement to set the 2021 TAC at 852,284 tonnes, in line with the ICES advice based on the Maximum Sustainable Yield approach. This represents a reduction of 7.57%.

The Coastal State consultations will continue in the coming weeks to finalise the Agreed Record of the Mackerel consultations.

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