Michael Collins presses Minister on securing bluefin tuna quota
Michael Collins questioned the Minister in the Dáil about securing a bluefin tuna quota for Ireland, citing increased bluefin numbers and other nations' quota awards. The Minister said Ireland currently holds only a small bycatch quota and that any larger quota would require negotiation with EU partners and engagement during the upcoming European Presidency.
Denmark and Norway have successfully applied to ICAT and received quotas, while the Japanese fleet is fishing along the 200-mile international limit to freeze bluefin tuna for their market. The Deputy raised concerns about the carbon footprint of that activity and about unlicensed fishing practices.
The Minister acknowledged that Ireland does not have a national commercial bluefin quota because there was no track record of commercial fishing when quotas were initially allocated. What exists now is a small bluefin tuna bycatch quota available to Ireland, primarily for use in the Northern Ireland albacore tuna fishery and the Celtic Sea herring fishery, where bluefin can be caught as bycatch.
Any change to Ireland's share would have to be negotiated with other Member States and could involve taking quota from states that already hold allocations. Several Member States are resistant to changing the relative stability formula for this stock, the Minister said, so the issue must be raised and argued at EU level.
The Minister indicated that Ireland will use its time in the European Presidency over the next year and a half to support agriculture and fishing industries and to press for possible changes to quota arrangements where feasible. The role of the Minister is to engage with European counterparts to advance Ireland's case on bluefin tuna quotas.
ICAT decisions and international fishing
Denmark and Norway have successfully applied to ICAT and received quotas, while the Japanese fleet is fishing along the 200-mile international limit to freeze bluefin tuna for their market. The Deputy raised concerns about the carbon footprint of that activity and about unlicensed fishing practices.
Ireland's current quota position
The Minister acknowledged that Ireland does not have a national commercial bluefin quota because there was no track record of commercial fishing when quotas were initially allocated. What exists now is a small bluefin tuna bycatch quota available to Ireland, primarily for use in the Northern Ireland albacore tuna fishery and the Celtic Sea herring fishery, where bluefin can be caught as bycatch.
EU negotiation and relative stability
Any change to Ireland's share would have to be negotiated with other Member States and could involve taking quota from states that already hold allocations. Several Member States are resistant to changing the relative stability formula for this stock, the Minister said, so the issue must be raised and argued at EU level.
European Presidency as a lever
The Minister indicated that Ireland will use its time in the European Presidency over the next year and a half to support agriculture and fishing industries and to press for possible changes to quota arrangements where feasible. The role of the Minister is to engage with European counterparts to advance Ireland's case on bluefin tuna quotas.
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Transcript
Minister, following on from my question two weeks ago in the Dáil in relation to Ireland's retaining our fishing rights to rock oil, in recent years the population of bluefin tuna has significantly increased. Denmark and Norway have successfully applied to ICAT, the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tuna, and received quotas, while the Japanese fleet is fishing along the 200-mile international limit to freeze bluefin tuna for their market. This raises concerns about their carbon footprint and unlicensed fishing practices. While I know Ireland has requested the opening of discussions at EU level to advance our case for bluefin tuna quota, we also know other Member States are resistant to any discussion on amending relative stability for this stock. My question to you, Minister, is what action is our new Minister for marine taking in relation to the securing of a bluefin tuna quota for Ireland? Additionally, when can we expect to receive our quota given the abundance of this fish in Irish waters? Thank you, Deputy Minister. Thank you, Deputy. My understanding is that we, as you have rightly outlined, do not have a national quota on this at the time when this was being divvied up. There was not a track record of commercial fishing for bluefin tuna at the time. Obviously that has changed. What we have now is a small bluefin tuna by catch quota, which is available to Ireland, primarily for use in our important Northern Ireland Albacore tuna fishery and Celtic sea herring fishery, where there can be bluefin tuna by catch. Any changes, as you have mentioned, would have to be negotiated with their European counterparts, there would be an element of taking away from other Member States in terms of the quotas that they have, but that is the role of our Minister to make sure that we raise these issues, that we engage with our European counterparts. I think our objective when it comes to the European Presidency in the years ahead, in fact, in the next year and a half, is that we would do everything possible to support our agriculture and our fishing industries, where there were possible changes that could take place, that that is the place to do it, and that is the place to try and drive it. Thank you.