Ireland’s Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Michael Creed has announced the outcome of the review of trawling activity inside the six nautical mile zone, and has decided that trawlers over 18 metres will be excluded from waters inside six miles from 1st January 2020.
An extensive public consultation took place from 30th April to 11th June this year, attracting more than nine hundred submissions. There was a wide diversity of views expressed in these submissions, and these are published on the Department’s website.
According to a ministry statement, the issues raised during the public consultation process were carefully considered and, following a detailed evaluation, the decision to exclude trawlers over 18 metres from inshore waters inside the six nautical mile zone and the baselines was taken.
‘I believe there is a compelling case for excluding trawling by large vessels in coastal waters inside six nautical miles,’Michael Creed said.
‘I am satisfied that there are sufficient fishing opportunities for these vessels outside of six nautical miles. I also believe that these actions will provide wider ecosystem benefits, including for nursery areas and juvenile fish stocks. I am very conscious of the exclusive reliance of small scale and island fishermen on inshore waters and the benefits this change will bring for those fishermen. I firmly believe that this will, in the medium term, provide ecosystem and nursery stock benefits for all fishermen.’
‘I am mindful of the opportunity these measures will provide for further sustainable development of the small scale inshore and the sea angling sectors, which the Government has committed to in the Programme for a Partnership Government.’
The Minister announced that there will be a transition period of three years for vessels over 18 metres targeting sprat. This transition is in order to allow a period of adjustment for these vessels, as this fishery is concentrated inside the six nautical mile zone.
‘I recognise that effective change needs time. I have had an extensive and prolonged consultation to flag consideration of change,’ the minister commented.
‘Allowing a transition period for those vessels involved in the sprat fishery will ensure that the vessels have adequate time to transition to other fishing activities. I am asking BIM to offer affected vessel owners technical assistance to adjust to other fisheries during the transition process.’
Trawlers over 18 metres will continue to be permitted inside six nautical miles to fish for sprat only until 2022. A total allowable catch of up to 2000 tonnes, reflecting a reduction on recent years, will be permitted for these vessels during 2020, reducing to 1000 tonnes in 2021. All trawling activity by over 18 metres vessels for sprat, inside the six mile limit, will end from the beginning of 2022.
