Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 3 October 2017
476. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the extent to which fish stocks have fluctuated in the past five years; the degree to which this affects the catch; his plans for the future in this regard; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41945/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Common Fisheries Policy, CFP, provides the framework for the long term conservation and sustainability of fish stocks around our shores and is designed to ensure the long-term sustainability of fishing in Ireland and throughout EU waters. A key element of the CFP is the setting of fishing levels on the basis of maximum sustainable yield. The Common Fisheries Policy specifically calls for the progressive restoration and maintenance of populations of fish stocks above biomass levels capable of producing MSY.
The first stage in achieving this is to form a detailed picture of the biological status of the stocks of greatest concern to Ireland. Scientific information on the state of the fisheries exploited by the Irish fleet is compiled by the Marine Institute with data from the International Council for the Exploration of the Seas, ICES, and is published in the Stock Book each year. The most recent Stock Book, 2016, contains 74 stocks that are subject to the scientific advice of the Marine Institute. The following tables (1+2) both taken from the Stock Book 2016 show the fluctuation of fish stocks with Irish interest over the last five years.
Table 1: Summary of stocks fished sustainably (fished below Fmsy) and unsustainably (fished above Fmsy):
|
- |
2012 |
2013 |
2014 |
2015 |
2016 |
|||||
|
Pressure status |
Num |
% |
Num |
% |
Num |
% |
Num |
% |
Num |
% |
|
Fished Below Fmsy |
25 |
42 |
20 |
34 |
25 |
34 |
26 |
36 |
28 |
38 |
|
Fished Above Fmsy |
13 |
22 |
14 |
24 |
22 |
30 |
19 |
26 |
15 |
20 |
|
If Unknown, Undefined Fmsy or NA |
21 |
36 |
25 |
42 |
26 |
36 |
27 |
38 |
31 |
42 |
|
Total Number of Stocks |
59 |
59 |
73 |
72 |
74 |
Table 2: Summary of the biomass of stocks fished (quantity of mature fish in the sea):
|
- |
2012 |
2013 |
2014 |
2015 |
2016 |
|||||
|
Stock Status/B trigger |
Num |
% |
Num |
% |
Num |
% |
Num |
% |
Num |
% |
|
SSB > Btrigger |
20 |
34 |
18 |
31 |
17 |
23 |
20 |
28 |
22 |
31 |
|
SSB>Blim <Btrigger |
1 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
|
SSB<Btrigger |
8 |
14 |
7 |
12 |
12 |
16 |
14 |
19 |
18 |
25 |
|
SSB Unknown, Undefined or NA |
30 |
51 |
34 |
58 |
44 |
60 |
38 |
53 |
33 |
46 |
|
Total Number of Stocks |
59 |
59 |
73 |
72 |
74 |
From the 74 stocks, 28 are assessed as being sustainably fished in 2016. This number has grown every year since 2013. This in turn leads to the number of stocks being overfished declining from 22 in 2014 to 15 in 2016. The biomass of stocks, the quantity of mature fish in the sea, has also increased. In 2016, there were 22 stocks in a positive state above biomass trigger points. This was also an increase over the preceding years. These trends should ultimately lead to healthier fish stocks and higher quotas for Irish fishermen.
Fishing opportunities for each Member State are agreed on an annual basis at the EU Fisheries Council of Ministers on the basis of a proposal produced by the European Commission that is informed by the best available scientific advice. The 2017 TAC and Quota regulation achieved tangible progress toward the goals of the CFP while also ensuring the economic viability of an industry that supports vital jobs of numerous coastal communities around Ireland.
