Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 1 May 2024
212. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if a social impact analysis has been carried out, prior to the closure of the targeted pollack fisheries in ICES areas 6 and 7. [19691/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraEach year I carry out a Sustainability Impact Assessment (SIA) to look at the overall impacts the possible fishing opportunities for the following year could have on the sustainability of the fishing sector from a biological, economic and social perspective.
The SIA involves a public consultation process along with expert contributions from the Marine Institute (MI) and Bord Iascaigh Mhara (BIM). I also meet with stakeholders, including representatives of the Fishing Industry and environmental NGOs, before presenting the SIA to the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine.
The SIA is based on the advice on fish stocks published by the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES).
The ICES advice also forms the basis of the scientific advice used by the European Commission in proposing Total Allowable Catches (TACs) and informs the EU's negotiating position for consultations with Third Countries, such as the UK.
Following the conclusion of the EU-UK negotiations on 2024 fishing opportunities for shared stocks, the parties agreed on a limited, by-catch only TAC for Pollack in Areas 6-7 to avoid a "choke" situation which would lead to the premature closure of whitefish fisheries where Pollack is caught as a by-catch. Given the scientific advice for this stock, the need to balance socio-economic considerations with achieving good biological status for stocks, and taking into account the challenges of managing mixed fisheries, setting a by-catch only TAC is the most appropriate approach.
