Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 10 December 2020
459. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the entire allocation of fishing quota for Irish fishers in each of the past 20 years, in tabular form; the breakdown of the quota by fish species; the way in which it is allocated by producer organisations and other representative groups; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42613/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraIn Ireland, fish quotas are a public resource owned by the State. The Minister has responsibility for the management of Ireland's quotas. Allocations are made available to fishing vessels based on an overall policy framework which has been developed over the past 30 years. The key commercial whitefish quotas (cod, haddock, monk, hake etc) are managed, usually on a monthly basis, with maximum catch limits set for vessels. Pelagic stocks such as mackerel and herring are managed on an annual or seasonal basis in accordance with the Ministerial policy. That policy has been developed and set down over the years as the relevant fishery developed. Any amendments or changes to the policy on management arrangements are determined by the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine following detailed analysis and full consultation with stakeholders.
Within the Minister’s policy, allocations and other arrangements are decided by the Minister on an ongoing basis having regard for the advice of the Quota Management Advisory Committee (QMAC).
Consultation is carried out at the monthly meeting of the QMAC involving representatives of the industry (each of the four Producer Organisations, Co-operatives, National Inshore Fisheries Forum and the Irish Fish Processors and Exporters Association), the Department and the Sea Fisheries Protection Authority. The purpose of these meetings is for the industry representatives to make recommendations to the Minister on monthly catch limits for stocks, mainly demersal stocks. I have regard for the recommendations when setting catch limits and arrangements for a fishery, subject to the proper management and rational exploitation of our fisheries.
I attach an Excel document presenting the quotas by fish stock for Ireland in each of years 2001 to 2020, which was compiled for me by the Marine Institute. The initial quota received by Ireland is presented in the first tab and a revised quota, to take account of swaps, is presented in the second tab of this document. Data is only available up to 2019 for the revised quotas in the second tab as all swaps have not been finalised for 2020.
