The Minister for Agriculture, Food & Fisheries, Brendan Smith, has launched a review of the Common Fisheries Policy.
This follows the launch of a Green Paper discussion document by the EU Commission last month.
The Minister informed European colleagues that he is in consultation with interested groups in Ireland and will review every aspect of it the proposals illustrating Ireland’s position will be ready by the end of the year.
The Minister pointed out to his Ministerial colleagues that Irish fishermen have felt aggrieved at the share of fish stocks Ireland received when the first Common Fisheries Policy was put in place. This sense of grievance remains.
Minister Smith has asked for new innovative policies which simplify and reduce the administrative burden, that the reform must strengthen and support the industry's capacity to maximise employment in coastal communities dependant on fishing.
The Minister opposes the opening up of the 12 mile coastal zone and indicated that coastal states like Ireland should have this increased.
A key national priority for review will be the retention of national quotas in public ownership and managed by the Member State.
Minister Smith made clear that he opposes efforts in this review to advance a system of privatised transferable quotas that would lead to concentration of ownership in a small number of highly mobile multi-national fleet owners.
The Minister is supportive of greater stakeholders' involvement in decision making and emphasised the importance of simplified decision making arrangements.
Brendan Smith has stressed the importance of integrating aquaculture policy into the mainstream CFP with a view to focusing on delivering on the opportunities available for this sector to expand in Ireland.
