Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 18 April 2023
1106. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the steps he has taken in response to recommendation 2.5.3.1. in the report of the seafood task force concerning an inshore marketing initiative, including the amount spent to date on the provision of marketing and promotional support to the inshore fisheries sector of the €2.5 million recommended; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17211/23]
View answerIn March 2022, in response to this Task Force recommendation I announced the launch of the Brexit Inshore Marketing Scheme. This scheme, which operated through 2022 and is continuing in 2023 is delivered by Bord Bia to promote sales of stocks of interest to inshore fishers, in order to boost prices at the quayside. It focuses on supporting the sales and promotion of inshore species such as Irish crab, lobster, whelks, inshore herring/mackerel and line caught hake and pollock on both the domestic and export markets. €1 million in funding has been provided through the Brexit Adjustment Reserve to support the initial two years of the Scheme and Bord Bia fully utilised the €0.5m allocated in 2022, with similar performance expected in 2023.
The Task Force recommendation specifies that the €2.5m marketing fund be delivered over a 5-year period and to deliver on this recommendation for the inshore sector a further 3 years of this scheme will be delivered under the recently adopted European Maritime Fisheries and Aquaculture Fund (2021-2027) Operational Programme from next year onwards.
