Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 15 February 2022
960. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his views on all vessels on the polyvalent register being allocated equal quota of mackerel based on the national allocation via monthly and weekly vessel authorisations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8027/22]
View answerThere are a number of opportunities for Irish fishing vessels to target Mackerel which are open to polyvalent vessels only and these are set down in the Mackerel Management Policy which was adopted after a full review and public consultation.
There are 4 categories of polyvalent vessels permitted to land mackerel. In accordance with policy 13% of the national annual quota (6,739 tonnes in 2022) is available for this segment.
Mackerel Policy provides that 76.50% of the 13% (5,155 tonnes in 2022) is made available to 15 Tier 1 vessels, and 21% of the 13% (1,415 tonnes in 2022) is made available to 12 Tier 2 vessels. Tier 1 and Tier 2 vessels receive a catch limit for the period 01 January to 30 November each year.
The remaining 2.50% of the 13% quota available for polyvalent vessels (168 tonnes in 2022) is made available to under 18 metres vessels fishing for mackerel by means other than hook and line. Catch limits are set by monthly Fisheries Management Notice. The catch limit for the month of February is 2 tonnes.
An allocation of 400 tonnes for a fishery for smaller vessels (under 15 metre vessels) fishing for Mackerel by means of hooks and line was set down in Policy in 2010. The then Minister amended the Mackerel policy in July 2017 after intensive review and public consultation, however this amendment did not involve the hook and line fishery. The 400 tonnes is taken off the top of the annual national quota and does not come out of the 13% polyvalent quota.
