Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 29 March 2022
870. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the quota allocated to the Irish fishing fleet in the Spanish EEZ under the Common Fisheries Policy, by species, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16276/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraUnder the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP), EU fishing fleets are given equal access to EU waters and fishing grounds subject to allocated fish quotas. There are derogations to this access rule, including restrictions on access to Member States' coastal waters.
Quotas for the various stocks are allocated for management areas - that is, an ICES (International Council for the Exploration of the Seas) area or a part thereof - and not Member States' EEZs. Generally, most stock areas straddle more than one EEZ area. These stock areas can include Member States' EEZs, third countries' EEZs and international waters.
The share allocation of stocks between Member States was established as a principle of the first CFP in 1983 and was based on the average catch of each Member State over a period of reference years (track record). The only exception to this relates to the Hague Preferences, based on a special recognition agreement of the underdeveloped nature of the Irish fleet and the heavy control responsibility on us when Ireland joined the EU. Spain's quotas under the CFP were established by the Treaty of Accession 1985. The share out of Totally Allowable Catches (TACs) set in more recent years has also been mainly based on track record, the most recent of these of importance to Ireland has been boarfish.
Ireland does not have quota in Spanish waters, except for widely distributed stocks such as Mackerel and Albacore Tuna.
North-east Atlantic Mackerel is divided into a number of TAC areas. The Western Mackerel TAC, where Ireland has a large quota share, covers ICES area 6, 7, 8a, 8b, 8d and 8e, United Kingdom and International waters of 5b, and international waters of 2a, 12 and 14. This area includes part of the Spanish EEZ. Irish fishing vessels do not fish for mackerel in these southern waters.
The management area for Albacore Tuna covers the northern Atlantic Ocean, that is, the Atlantic north of the 5o N line. In recent years, the bulk of Irish catches of Albacore Tuna have been taken from ICES Division 8 (Bay of Biscay), which includes part of Spain's EEZ.
