Fishing quotas and task force
Deputy Conway-Walsh warns that quota cuts and stock reductions threaten the fishing sector and asks that inshore forums be represented on the new fisheries task force. The Taoiseach agrees the coming years will be very difficult, cites severe pelagic reductions, and says the task force must address the crisis.
I want to speak on behalf of the fishermen of this island who are warning that 2026 will be the worst year the sector has ever faced after drastic reductions to fish quotas and cuts to the key stocks. The industry is facing an imminent existential threat. The Government recently announced the establishment of a task force to support the industry and coastal communities. I certainly welcome that. I ask the Taoiseach that the regional inshore fisheries forums, RIFFs, are directly represented on the new fisheries seafood task force chaired my Mr. Michael Berkey. This equity is vital for all inshore fishing communities around the county. Each RIFF member would be representing approximately 300 vessels from their local region.
I ask the Taoiseach and Minister as well that we have proper labelling for imported fish. People here think they are eating Irish fish when they are eating fish that is days old coming from all parts.
Comment on this
It is going to be a very difficult year, a difficult number of years, actually. I have met with the fishing representative bodies along with the Minister, Deputy Heydon, and Minister of State, Deputy Dooley, who have responsibility for the marine. Largely because of the research that came in terms of the stocks, which everybody generally accepts - that has always been a consistent position - there has been a 70% reduction in pelagic, which is shocking. It really will be devastating. As the Deputy said, our challenge is to establish the task force. I also hear the call of the inshore fishermen in terms of representation on that. I will talk to the Ministers in respect of that. More importantly, there will have to be a state aid programme or support programme from the Government to support fishers through this very difficult period.
It is not just the pelagic; there are significant reductions in other species as well, which makes for a very difficult scenario. Also, the European Union then has to get more robust in its engagement with Norway, the Faroe Islands and Iceland in terms of the overfishing of fishing stocks more generally.