Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 1 May 2024
216. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he has a plan to prioritise selective low-impact fishing practices such as line caught fishing during future fishery negotiations. [19695/24]
View answerFollowing the UK's withdrawal from the EU, the majority of Ireland's commercial fish stocks - which were previously exclusively Union resources - are now shared resources under international law. The European Commission has sole competence to negotiate with Third Countries, including the UK, on behalf of the EU on the setting of fishing opportunities.
The bilateral consultations with the UK on setting fishing opportunities for shared fish stocks take place in the autumn. Ahead of this, the Council sets down the Commission's mandate for these negotiations. Ireland inputs into the development of this mandate - and throughout the negotiation process - in order to raise our concerns and priorities.
The advice on fish stocks published by the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES) forms the basis of the scientific advice used by the European Commission in proposing Total Allowable Catches (TACs) and informs the EU's negotiating position for consultations with Third Countries, such as the UK.
The purpose of the negotiations on fishing opportunities is to agree the Total Allowable Catch amounts for shared fish stocks, rather than to specify the types of gear used in the various fisheries.
Ireland has strongly supported the introduction of more selective and innovative technical measures to reduce catches of juvenile fish and unwanted by-catches. Bord Iascaigh Mhara (BIM), working in collaboration with our fishing sector, has been at the forefront of identifying and trialing effective measures. A number of such changes to fishing gear and practices which demonstrate improved selectivity have been adopted at EU level following recommendations from the North West Waters Member States Group, of which Ireland is a key member.
