Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 30 June 2021
379. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will suspend the mackerel swaps to other EU member states pending a review of mackerel swaps approved through the Quota Management Advisory Committee; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35187/21]
View answerIf a Member State does not have sufficient quota for a certain species, a quota swap can be agreed with another Member State. Ireland may seek an exchange of quota with another EU Member State to cover a shortfall in quota (or fishing effort - days at sea) for a fish stock in an area for the year. Conversely, Ireland may receive a request from another EU member state for a quota swap. Each swap proposal is considered on a case-by-case basis by my Department taking into account the views and recommendation of the Quota Management Advisory Committee (QMAC), taking into account ratios and market prices in order that swops involve a fair exchange.
Quotas are swapped on a temporary basis but continuously repeated yearly exchange is also possible. Ireland has long established relationships with a number of EU Member States where certain swaps are carried out on a yearly basis, provided Ireland has sufficient quota available for the stock for the area.
As per Part 1.3 of the Minister's 2017 Mackerel Policy, 'A minimum of 2% of the Mackerel quota in the TAC and Quota Regulation, or 1,000 tonnes, whichever is the greater, will be deducted annually for demersal swaps..." As per Part 2.2 of the Minister's Mackerel Policy, there is a distinct purpose for setting aside 2% of the Mackerel quota for such swaps: 'Setting aside a minimum quantity of mackerel quota is intended to take account of the level of swops in recent years and deliver a greater level of assurance for such swops...'
In recent years, the Mackerel quota set aside for such swaps has been swapped out with other EU Member States to secure a greater quantity of crab effort in the Biologically Sensitive Area for smaller vessels in the Irish fleet. This Mackerel quota has also been swapped out to other EU Member States in exchange for high value, and high demand demersal (whitefish) stocks for the Irish whitefish fleet such as Monkfish and Prawns.
As the quantity made available for such swops for 2021 is in accordance with the provisions of Mackerel Policy, it would not be appropriate to consider a suspension of these swops.
