Increase of 15% in €80m prawn quota
Sea bass angling tourism protected

Following two days of intensive negotiations which ended at 7.30am this morning, the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Michael Creed T.D. secured a total package of fish quotas worth €266 million for Irish fishermen for 2018.

For 2018, a total of 40,168 tonnes of whitefish quotas were agreed.   Minister Creed said that "The total €152m value of the whitefish quotas secured for the Irish fishing fleet amounts to a 8% increase in value from last year and a 3% increase in volume. I am satisfied that this is a good and balanced result overall".

Ireland’s quota for prawns amounts to 10,729 tonnes with a value of €83m.   The Minister said "This year we secured a  15% increase in prawns, worth over €10.6m directly to the Irish fleet, which is the biggest single increase in over a decade and shows the very healthy state of this stock, overall. 

The rebuilding of many of our stocks is also demonstrated by a 34% increase in our whitefish quotas off the north-west coast and a 64% increase in the Irish Sea compared to 5 years ago - both areas where stocks were depleted.

Minister Creed spoke of the positive outcome for the Irish Seawhere he said that “the Irish sea cod and haddock stocks have recovered after many years of intensive industry led conservation measures.   The cod stock in particular was in a near state of collapse since 2000.   The work done to rebuild this stock and the haddock stock has paid off this year with significant increases for both quotas for our East coast fleets.”

The Celtic Sea herring fishery is managed under a plan prepared by the Irish fishing sector which requires a 30% cut in 2018.  Minister Creed said “In line with the recommendation of the Irish fishing sector, we have followed the Management plan for Celtic Sea herring.   This plan is precautionary and the cut is required to rebuild the stock after a period of decline since 2015.

A very difficult proposal concerned our recreational sea bass fishery where the Commission had sought a complete ban on angling for 6 months of the year.  Minister Creed successfully argued for an all year round ‘catch and release’ fishery that would not endanger the stock while protecting this vital tourism resource.

The Minister spoke of his satisfaction that in this year’s Council another important step has been to deliver stocks at maximum sustainable levels. “The progress we have made this year will continue the journey we are all on to rebuild our fish stocks which underpin the future of our industry and our coastal communities.”

The Minister concluded "There were a number of difficult issues facing us this year but I believe that the final package is a balanced and sustainable one.   I would also like to express my appreciation for the cooperation and assistance I received from the fishing industry and NGO representatives in Brussels during the negotiations and in the months preceding them.”

The main outcomes negotiated include

• In the North West, a 20% increase in monkfish, a 21% increase for horse mackerel and  a 26% increase in the haddock for the ports of Greencastle and Killybegs
• A 15% increase in the prawn quota, worth €10.6m, which benefits the ports of Clogherhead, Howth, Union Hall, Castletownbere, Dingle and Ros a Mhíl.
• In the Irish Sea the recovery in the cod stock has seen a trebling of the quota; the Irish Sea haddock quota has also increased by 55%.  These stocks are mainly important for the ports of Clogherhead, Howth and Kilmore Quay.
• A 13% increase for Albacore Tuna which is important for the southern ports of Castletownbere and Dingle;
• For the mixed whitefish fisheries off the South and West coasts, a 2% increase in cod, a roll over in monkfish, an 11% reduction in haddock; and a 19% reduction in whiting all in accordance with the scientific advice.