Pa Daly
Ceist:952. Deputy Pa Daly asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the funding set aside to support inshore fishermen in view of the fact that funding for storage does not suit this sector. [5452/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraWednesday, 13 May 2020
Ceisteanna (952)
Freagraí scríofa
Our fishing sector, not least our inshore fleet, has been particularly hard hit by the severe market disruption in Europe and internationally caused by the Covid-19 Pandemic. The closure of many markets and disruption of established distribution channels, particularly to restaurants and the food service industry domestically and internationally, has seen market demand and sale prices drop very substantially in many of our key markets. However, there are still markets open both domestically and internationally and it is important that we continue to supply these markets to maintain food supply, service our established customers and be in a position to take advantage of increased demand as markets open up. That reopening of markets may commence now that some countries are commencing a phased re-opening from lockdowns, but may take some months to return to a level of normality.
I have met with representatives of our fisheries sector on a number of occasions, most recently on 29 April, to hear their views on the impacts of the Pandemic and how the EMFF Programme may support them during this difficult period. Representation included the National Inshore Fisheries Forum, the four fisheries producer organisations, the fisheries cooperatives and the Irish Fish Processors and Exporters Association. There was a positive and constructive engagement, with a broad consensus from industry representatives, including inshore fisheries representatives, that aid for temporary tie-up of fishing vessels should be the priority, enabling some vessels to tie-up, while others fished to meet market demands.
Following my engagement with representatives of fishermen, I announced on 8 May a Covid-19 Temporary Fleet Tie-up Scheme for fishing vessels in the Polyvalent, Beam Trawl and Specific segments of the fleet, to be implemented under Ireland’s European Maritime and Fisheries Fund Operational Programme 2014-20, co-funded by the Government of Ireland and the European Union.
The Covid-19 Temporary Fleet Tie-up Scheme will be operational from 1 June and will be available to the inshore fleet and to larger vessels. It will allow vessel owners to voluntarily opt to tie up for a maximum of two months over the period June to August. The Scheme will support the fixed costs incurred by the vessel owners and is designed to complement the Covid-19 wage supports and loan arrangements already being provided by Government to the fishing sector and indeed other sectors of our economy. The supports to fixed costs available under the Scheme are outlined in the table below and range from €6,000 per month for a maximum of two months for the very largest vessels over 24 metres, to €500 per month for a maximum of two months for the very smallest vessels under 6 metres in length.
|
Size of vessel |
Payment over 1-month tie-up period |
Payment over 2-month tie-up period |
|
Size of vessel |
Payment over 1-month tie-up period |
Payment over 2-month tie-up period |
|
> 24m |
€6,000 |
€12,000 |
|
18 < 24m |
€4,600 |
€9,200 |
|
15 < 18m |
€2,000 |
€4,000 |
|
12 < 15m |
€1,900 |
€3,800 |
|
10 < 12m |
€800 |
€1,600 |
|
8 < 10m |
€750 |
€1,500 |
|
6 < 8m |
€500 |
€1,000 |
|
<6m |
€500 |
€1,000 |
In order to underpin the Government’s policy of ensuring that the food chain is maintained and to maintain an essential presence in our markets, the Scheme will be available to a maximum of 66% of the fishing fleet, in the different size categories, in any one month. Any vessel not receiving support to tie-up in any particular month may continue to fish.
In order to limit the benefits of the Scheme to active vessels, an applicant vessel must have carried out fishing activities at sea for at least 120 days over the 2-year period 2018/19 and have made a first sale of fish to a minimum value of €5,000 in the calendar year 2019, by reference to the Irish Sales Note System administered by the Sea Fisheries Protection Authority.