Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 27 September 2023
118. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if his Department will work to provide access to fishing quotas to small boat and new entrant fishers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41798/23]
View answerAs the Deputy will be aware, in Ireland, fishing quota is a public resource and is managed to provide for proper management and conservation and rational exploitation of the State’s fishing quotas. It is managed as a public good that ensures that property rights are not granted to individual operators. The result of this long-standing policy is that the Irish fishing fleet involves a balanced spread of sizes and types of fishing vessels who have retained a strong economic link with our coastal communities and have delivered economic activity including vital employment in these communities, where there are very limited alternative economic activities.
Our fish quota management system is designed to ensure the best possible spread both between fishing vessel operators and in terms of take up of quota throughout the year having regard to fishing patterns and market conditions. Many of the key inshore stocks on which the smaller fishing vessels rely are not limited by quota arrangements, for instance lobster and crab. Crab is subject to fishing effort limits (days at sea) set at EU level.
Whitefish quotas are generally managed on a monthly basis and are not based on catch record. The Minister sets down catch limits for each quota stock following monthly consultation with the Quota Management Advisory Committee (QMAC) involving fishing industry representatives, including several inshore representatives. The monthly catch limits applicable to whitefish stocks are dependent on the overall length of the vessel (the catch limit of a vessel which is over 55 feet (16.764m) in length overall, is usually double that of a vessel which is under 55 feet (16.764m) overall). For the month of September, all vessels, regardless of size, have access to a catch limit of 15 tonnes of Pollack in Area 7 and 30 tonnes of Spurdog (Spurdog is a new fishery for 2023).
There are a number of pelagic stocks which are managed on the basis of the Minister’s policy for each stock. The policy for each stock was developed based on divergent criteria taking account of specific circumstances. There are a number of opportunities for vessels to target pelagic stocks which are open only to smaller fishing vessels and not based on catch record. For example, a boat of less than 18m overall length without a mackerel authorisation may avail of the catch limits for mackerel set down in the monthly Fisheries Management Notice for mackerel. The monthly catch limit is recommended by the Quota Management Advisory Committee and is usually set at 5 tonnes. A boat of less than 15m overall length fishing for mackerel by means of hooks and lines may avail of a monthly catch limit set down in a monthly Fisheries Management Notice for mackerel. The catch limit for September is 10 tonnes.
I also recently approved a modification, for 2023 and future years, to existing herring policy where Ireland’s North-West Herring quota (in Area 6a South & 7bc) in the Total Allowable Catch (TAC) and Quota Regulation is less than 7,000 tonnes. In this scenario, the 2012 Herring Policy will be modified, and a set quantity of herring will be made available for vessels less than 20 metres in length overall, without track record, at a level of 350 tonnes; of which, 95% will be allocated to vessels less than 15 metres in length overall.
The Irish Sea Herring fishery has also recently opened for vessels of overall length less than 27.43m/90ft. Nine vessels were selected to participate, four of which are less than 40.
For Herring in the Celtic Sea, a scientific quota for data collection of 750t has been set for 2023. 25% of this quota is set aside for an open fishery which is open to boats <17m in length overall, with fishing confined to the "Dunmore Box" in the south east. This fishery usually operates from November to the end of the year. Interested vessels are required to book in to the fishery in order to receive and authorisation and catch limit.
Under the Seafood Development Programme, my Department with the support of Bord Iascaigh Mhara, provided a wide range of funding, training and advisory services aimed at educating small vessel owners and young fishers. Several schemes were implemented, which included, Seafood Training, Young Fishermen and Sustainable Fisheries.
The New Fishermen Scheme, which was implemented by BIM, provided grant funding for those fishers who were purchasing their first vessel, covering up to 25% of the cost of a vessel up to a maximum of €75,000. Under the EMFF programme, approximately €1.15 million in funding was provided to assist young 24 young fishers with acquisition of their first vessel.
While the EMFF programme is in the process of closing in December 2023, in December 2022, I announced the adoption of a new Seafood Development Programme under the European, Maritime, Fisheries and Aquaculture Fund (EMFAF). The EMFAF Operational Programme makes provision for the development of a similar schemes, with similar allocations in funding, and work has begun on the development of implementation plans under this Programme.
