Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 4 April 2019
266. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his plans for the Marine Institute to carry out a study into the stock levels for each specific fishing stock species in territorial waters within zero to six nautical miles of the coast; and the estimated cost of such an exercise. [15789/19]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Marine Institute supported where relevant by Bord Iascaigh Mhara, both of which are State Bodies under the aegis of my Department, carry out research in relation to stock levels around the Irish coast.
The Marine Institute and Bord Iascaigh Mhara pool their research to publish the Shellfish Stocks and Fisheries Review series on a biennial basis. The Review series sets out assessment and advice for a range of non-quota stocks. The series is published online by the Marine Institute at https://oar.marine.ie.
The Marine Institute also produces the Stock Book annually, which provides up to date scientific information on the state of the fisheries resources exploited by the Irish fleet. The Stock Book is available electronically on the Marine Institute's web site at https://oar.marine.ie/handle/10793/1383 and this year an informatics interactive version of the Stock Book can be found at https://shiny.marine.ie/stockbook/.
I consider that these publications will provide a good level of information in relation to the state of stocks of interest to Ireland, including inside the 6 mile zone. Funding is provided for these agencies through my Department's vote on an annual basis.
The Deputy may wish to note the measures that I announced in December, excluding trawling by large vessels in coastal waters inside six nautical miles will provide ecosystem benefits, including nursery areas and juvenile fish stocks. In environmental terms, large vessels trawling can have a significant impact both on fish stocks and on important coastal marine environments. Following an extensive public consultation process, I announced in December that vessels over 18m will be excluded from trawling in inshore waters inside the six nautical mile zone and the baselines from 1 January 2020. Trawling for sprat by vessels over 18m will be phased out by 31 December 2021.
