6 Noll 2012, 12:39
The Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine today called for increased pressure to be placed on Iceland and the Faroe Islands to curb reckless mackerel fishing in the north Atlantic, which is seriously threatening the sustainability of the industry in Ireland.
6 December 2012
The Committee was meeting with Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine Simon Coveney TD in advance of the Agriculture and Fisheries Council to be held in Brussels on 19 and 20 December, which is scheduled to concentrate on a series of fisheries proposals. During his presentation, the Minister referred extensively to the Sea Fisheries Sustainability Assessment, a recent consultation with all major stakeholders, which will inform the government position in the negotiations.
Chairman of the Committee Andrew Doyle TD says: “Our Committee has an important oversight role on the Government’s interaction with the European Union on policy related to agriculture and fisheries. This morning we heard the Minister say that, properly managed, the Irish fishing industry can enjoy steady commercial growth in the coming years.”
“Minister Coveney was candid in his frustration with Iceland and the Faroe Islands and explained that a political solution was being actively explored, perhaps in the form of trade sanctions. Our Committee fully agrees that severe pressure on both countries needs to be exerted by the European Union. Committee Members expressed frustration that a negotiated solution with Iceland and the Faroe Island may ultimately reward the recklessness of two countries, at the expense of EU Member States and Norway who have been fishing the species in a disciplined and sustainable manner. However, a resolution is vital for the future of mackerel in the North Atlantic. The mackerel fishing industry, which is concentrated off the Northwest coast in Ireland, is our most valuable fishing stock and worth about €100 million annually.
“The Committee expressed broad support for Minister Coveney’s approach to the negotiations, which is to utilise science to ensure EU fishing policy secures the long term sustainability of the industry. Our Committee agrees with the Minister that, in the setting of Total Allowable Catches, the arbitrary 20 percent reduction on stocks which are termed ‘data poor’ is unacceptable in instances where the partial data that exists indicates they are being fished sustainably. While the Committee understands that the managing of mixed fish stocks can be particularly complex, the negotiations must concentrate on achieving a more practical and pragmatic regime for the fishing industry, grounded in the scientific data available. In Irish waters, quality and reliable data is provided by the Galway-based Marine Institute, which is highly regarded among science agencies in the EU. Such data for instance, may also be used to ensure the unacceptable level of discards in European waters is decreased.”
Ends
For further information contact:
Paul Hand,
Houses of the Oireachtas,
Communications Unit,
Leinster House,
Dublin 2
P: +3531 618 4484
M: +353 87 6949926
paul.hand@oireachtas.ie
Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine - Membership
Deputies:
Tom Barry, Fine Gael
Pat Deering, Fine Gael (Vice-Chairman)
Martin Ferris, Sinn Féin
Andrew Doyle, Fine Gael (Chairman)
Martin Heydon, Fine Gael
Colm Keaveney, Labour
Michael McNamara, Labour
Eamon Ó Cuiv, Fianna Fáil
Thomas Pringle, Independent
Senators:
Michael Comiskey, Fine Gael
Paschal Mooney, Fianna Fáil
Pat O’Neill, Fine Gael
Mary Ann O’Brien, Independent
Brian Ó Domhnaill, Fianna Fáil
Susan O’Keeffe, Labour