Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 26 April 2022
1872. Deputy Michael Ring asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the amount of mackerel quota Ireland has; the way in which the mackerel quota is allocated; the criteria used when allocating the quota; the person or body that is entitled to apply for mackerel quota; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19823/22]
View answer1880. Deputy Michael Ring asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the criteria that are used when allocating mackerel quota to vessels exceeding 15 m; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19860/22]
View answer1881. Deputy Michael Ring asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the criteria that are used when allocating mackerel quota to vessels under 15 m; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19861/22]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 1872, 1880 and 1881 together.
Management of the national mackerel quota is set down in Ministerial Policy, which has been developed and put in place over many years going back to the early years when EU TACs and quotas were set for this stock. Amendments to this policy in 2010 and 2017 were introduced following a full review and public consultation.
For 2022, Ireland’s national Mackerel Quota has been set at 54,992 tonnes.
Mackerel management policy sets down:
Where Ireland’s mackerel quota in the annual TAC and Quota Regulation is 90,000 tonnes or below, mackerel is shared out on an 87% -13% basis between the RSW Pelagic segment and the Polyvalent segment. The share out is applied after the deduction for contingency, swaps, carry over/deductions (as provided for by EU Regulation) and the allocation set aside for hook and line fishery for vessels under 15 metres.
Where Ireland’s mackerel quota in the annual TAC and Quota Regulation is above 90,000 tonnes, the share out is adjusted so that the element in excess of 90,000 tonnes is shared 80% - 20% between the RSW pelagic segment and the Polyvalent segment. The balance below 90,000 tonnes will be shared out on an 87% -13% basis between the RSW Pelagic segment and the Polyvalent segment. The share out is applied after the deduction for contingency, swaps, carry over/deductions (as provided for by EU Regulation) and the allocation set aside for hook and line fishery for vessels under 15 metres.
A minimum of 2% of the mackerel quota (1,100 tonnes in 2022) in the TAC and Quota Regulation or 1,000 tonnes, whichever is greater, is deducted annually for demersal swaps before any share out between segments is undertaken.
The RSW pelagic segment comprises of 23 vessels. In accordance with mackerel policy, 87% of the national annual quota (45,010 tonnes in 2022) is available for this segment. There are three ratios within this segment: 8 vessels with ratio 10, 9 vessels with ratio 7, and 6 vessels with ratio 5.
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. Access to Tier 1 and Tier 2 catch limits was determined using track record set down in 2010. 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 metre vessels (including under 15 metre 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 April is 3 tonnes. This catch limit is open to all polyvalent vessel under 18 metres in length overall fishing for mackerel by means other than hook and line.
An allocation of 400 tonnes for a fishery for smaller vessels (under 15 metre vessels) fishing for Mackerel by means of hooks and line is 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 available quota of 400 tonnes had not been caught for all years up to and including 2019). The 400 tonnes is taken off the top of the annual national quota before the polyvalent segment/RSW Pelagic segment split, and does not come out of the 13% polyvalent quota.
The management arrangements, within the policy, for the Mackerel hook and line fishery has been on the agenda and discussed with Industry representatives at recent meetings of the Quota Management Advisory Committee (QMAC). It is important to note that the remit of the QMAC is to examine and make recommendations within Ministerial Policy. I have asked the QMAC to examine measures to strengthen the management arrangements for the 2022 Mackerel hook and line fishery, within the policy, for my consideration.
