DAFM has reaffirmed that the new permanent mackerel allocation from the December AGRIFISH Council will be worth approximately €3m annually
The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine has replied to a request from The Fishing Daily to verify claims made by the Irish Fishing and Seafood Alliance regarding the allocation of mackerel quota to Ireland which was a result from the December AGRIFISH Council meeting.
The IFSA focus report entitled “More papering over the cracks as the Irish fishing industry endures weak political representation in Europe”, strongly criticised the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Charlie McConalogue TD, for announcing that Ireland had “won-back” quota previously appropriated from Ireland without understanding the details of deal.
The quota, which was held by Denmark came into their holding as part of an EU Coastal States agreement with Norway. The quota was never fully utilised as the mackerel had to be caught in Norwegian waters. It became of interest in 2021 to EU member states including Ireland, when Denmark applied to fish the quota in EU member states waters, as there was insufficient mackerel in the allotted Norwegian waters, and/or fishing was reliant on access arrangement being granted based on the results and timing of an EU and Norway bilateral agreement.
The IFSA says that Minister McConalogue was forced to ‘sheepishly’ back-track on his announcement when he discovered that the Netherlands and other EU Member States, under Common Fisheries Policy regulations, would also get their share from the allocation.
The IFSA also stated that the Minister was also incorrect in his assessment that the new quota was “permanent allocation”, saying it’s quite the opposite in that it will reduce by 725 tonnes next year and even further after that.
IFSA Chair, Cormac Burke writes:
“Under this new deal, Denmark will retain 75% of this quota and the rest is divided pro rata among the other EU pelagic states – – which of course is good news for Denmark as they previously held 100% of a 12,300-tonne quota which they could only fish if they searched for it in Norwegian waters but now they will hold 75% of a quota which they can fish inside the EU.
Irish Fishing and Seafood Alliance Chair, Cormac Burke
“From 2026 onwards it is to remain at 25% and therefore, at a rough calculation (12,300 tonnes x 25% x 50.3%), if Ireland gets 2,500 tonnes in 2023 then we get approx. 1,550 tonnes per annum from 2026 onwards.
“Now, for Charlie McConalogue’s benefit, let’s put that into perspective – Ireland is going to ‘gain’ 1,500 tonnes per year but is going to lose 15,000 tonnes next year alone!”
The IFSA knocks the European Commission’s rhetoric on the issue when it describes the deal as an “ambitious balance of exchanges of fishing opportunities of major economic interest” with Norway, with the EU to receive 9,983 tonnes of Arctic cod for 2024, while it will transfer 48,000 tonnes of blue whiting to Norway.
As a result of the latest negotiations, the EU will have access to catch up to 15,107 tonnes of Atlanto-Scandian herring in Norwegian waters while Norway gets access to EU waters to fish 150,000 tonnes of blue whiting.
The IFSA said the below questions must be asked in light of the revelations.
“1. If the greatest giveaway from the EU Commission in the annual Coastal States deal is blue whiting off the Irish coast, then why is Ireland not the greatest benefactors in the exchange?”
“2. If the injustice regarding the previously unutilised mackerel segment of quota has been evident for yeayears,en surely awarding the full 12,300 tonnes of ‘Danish mackerel’ exclusively to Ireland would have gone some way towards addressing the imbalance?”
“3. Spain, the Netherlands and others are benefitting hugely from the transfer of Arctic Cod quota to the EU in this deal but, as usual, the Irish fisherman gets nothing in return for the boat loads of blue whiting we are being forced to give away?”
“4. The Dutch and Danes benefit hugely from the Atlantic Scandia herring transfer and Ireland is left with the crumbs but yet again it is clear that the quid pro quo is coming from Irish blue whiting?”
The Fishing Daily put the questions to the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, and received the below, non-committal reply which refused to answer the questions posed by the IFSA, but did confirm that the new permanent mackerel allocation would be worth approximately €3m annually.
The response reads:
“This matter relates to a Total Allowable Catch (TAC) of Mackerel in Norwegian waters of Areas 2a and 4a in the North Sea that was historically available to Denmark only. This TAC only existed as part of a bilateral agreement between the EU and Norway where there was a transfer of Mackerel quota from the EU Western Waters component to Norway, and a reciprocal transfer from Norway to the EU of fishing opportunities in Norwegian waters of 2a and 4a.
“Minister McConalogue first raised this issue at the AgriFish Council in October 2021 to question how this TAC could continue in the absence of an bilateral agreement between the EU and Norway on Mackerel.
“The resolution reached at the December 2023 Council will see part of this TAC transferred to the Member States who hold Mackerel quota in the Western Waters area (this includes Ireland) with the remainder allocated to Denmark as part of its North Sea quota. This is the best available outcome, which recognises Irelands concerns, while also taking into consideration that Denmark fished this TAC for many years and that it constitutes a significant element of its national Mackerel quota.
“The result is a new, permanent allocation of Mackerel quota for Ireland which will be worth approximately €3 million annually.”
