Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 31 May 2022
840. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the amount of by catch of bluefin tuna thunnus thynnus landed by Irish registered vessels for the past five years on an annual basis in tabular form. [28141/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe data requested by the Deputy is held by the Sea Fisheries Protection Authority (SFPA) and I have referred the query to them for direct written response to the Deputy.
As the Deputy will be aware, Ireland does not have a national quota for Bluefin tuna. A small Bluefin by-catch quota is available to Ireland, primarily for use in our important Northern Albacore Tuna fishery and Celtic Sea herring fishery where there can be Bluefin tuna by-catch. This by-catch quota is also available to other Member States in the European Union.
A Catch-Tag-Release science-based fishery for authorised recreational angling vessels has been in place since 2019. The project, which was developed by Inland Fisheries Ireland and the Marine Institute in partnership with the SFPA, the Department for Communications, Climate Action and Environment and my Department, will allow the Marine Institute and Inland Fisheries Ireland to collect valuable data on the migratory patterns of Bluefin tuna in Irish waters in a tightly controlled environment.
