'My only objective has been to support fishers': A Q&A session with Marine Minister Charlie McConalogue

A. My only objective as minister has been to work to support fishers in every way possible. Whether that's in EU negotiations in, for example, the blue whiting quotas, but also the absolute forthright approach we took in relation to trying to protect the sector from the massive damage and danger that Brexit posed. 

Of course, that was a British initiative, and one which we advised against at all times, and which wasn't our decision and unfortunately, it wasn't possible to prevent any quota loss. Every member state within the EU lost quota. We've lost more and that's something I want to see addressed at European level. 

But it wasn't for the lack of trying and it won't continue to be for the lack of trying. If there hadn't been a Brexit deal it would have been devastating for our fishing sector because we'd have lost access to British waters where we fish a third of our total catch.

Why didn't you give fishermen fuel subsidies?

The sea fisheries task force I set up in response to Brexit recommended that in 2022, there should be a one-month tie-up scheme available. To address the Brexit impact, after the invasion of Ukraine and the skyrocketing cost of fuel, I met with the industry and to discuss the challenge that was there. 

The industry asked me, because of the fuel challenge, that I would introduce a second month's tie-up scheme for every vessel. I delivered on that request for that second month's scheme to support our fishing vessels in relation to the challenge that was there for fuel and that ran from June until the end of November. 

That two month tie-up scheme meant basically that was a direct support, a very, very necessary one for a sector to actually address the fuel, and it was a specific delivery to their request. 

After delivering that, they also asked them for a further fuel scheme, which I indicated to them I would consider following on from the completion of the tie-up scheme I had in place which was at the end of November. I have been engaging at Government level with regard to the possibility of that. It's something I continued to engage with at  Government level.

When is the next time there will be a decommissioning scheme for fishers, or is this the last?

I want this to be the last ever decommissioning scheme. I don't want to see any more. I didn't want to see this one. It's terribly unfortunate that we're in a situation where we're actually decommissioning some of our fleet as a result of Brexit. 

We were the first to actually come forward and propose a decommissioning scheme and that was because the fishing industry representatives asked me for one. They asked me for the decommissioning scheme coming out of the sea fisheries taskforce report. 

But I want this to be the last decommission scheme. I want to see a situation where we're fishing sustainably and actually improving our fisheries and also, I want to see a situation where hopefully I can make progress in the time ahead in relation to burden-sharing at European level to try and improve our share of overall European quota. But there are no more decommission schemes planned.

Why do successive governments keep coming up with money and schemes to stop Irish fishing in the Irish Sea, instead of coming up with monies and schemes to enable more fishermen to fish in there?

I haven't come up with any of these schemes. I can't speak to the past, but I have come up with new schemes. Over the course of my term as minister, the industry and fishing representatives have come up with schemes and requests for me, which I have delivered upon because I want to support the sector. I, for example, set up the sea fisheries taskforce, following on from Brexit, to support the sector to deal with the impact of Brexit.

There is a perception in the industry that civil servants are inherently anti-fishing and just want to destroy the industry. And if they don't, they have little or no interest in its survival.

The civil servants in the department are exceptional fighters on behalf of the sector at every turn, and provide a tremendous service to me to facilitate me in fighting for the sector. The staff and my department are exceptional in relation to fighting on behalf of our fishers at a European level.

What happens to the quota after the current decommissioning process is completed. Will it get divided up among the remaining vessels?

Yes, the decommissioning of vessels does not affect your national quota. It will be divided up among those remaining vessels, making them economically stronger and more economically viable and more profitable as a result.

Why can't Irish fishermen and women have a yearly quota rather than a monthly quota?

Again, that's a decision of the fishers themselves. They decided how best to manage the quarters — fish are seasonal. And there's lots of decisions there that only fishers themselves can actually decide best, knowing the sea, knowing the stock, and knowing the economic reality of having an income around the year, so I will be totally guided by the fishers' representatives in relation to how we do that.

Is the current decommissioning scheme a way of reducing the national fleet so fewer fishers will object to offshore wind farms that will take over various fishing grounds?

The decommissioning scheme is something I'm doing in response to the fishers requesting it off me, obviously as an outcome of Brexit which we'd all prefer not to have. So, it's a request the fisher organisations have made of me in order to ensure the fleet is economically viable, when people are going to see they make a profit.

Why is so much money being pumped into piers and harbours for fishing boats if the Government is engaging in schemes that actually stop fishermen from fishing?

The fishers' representatives themselves encouraged me and asked me to invest in our piers and harbours and I went and got the money and the funding to do that. Normally, on an annual basis, the normal annual investment is about €3m nationally. This year, I've invested €56m.

What is your view of the future of the Irish fishing industry?

I am absolutely committed to investing in every aspect of our fishing industry and also to fighting tooth and nail to try and improve our national quota position as well within the EU. So we've just discussed a number of the different fundings going in and investing very heavily as well through in the processing sector. 

I believe there is a strong and sustainable future for our fishing sector. My sole objective as minister is to put this sector on a very strong, sustainable footing and also to make sure that those stocks and fish are there every year into the future.