Written question asked by Lord Dodds of Duncairn (Democratic Unionist Party) on Thursday, 10 December 2009, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Monday, 14 December 2009. It was answered by Huw Irranca-Davies (Labour) on Tuesday, 5 January 2010 on behalf of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.

Total Allowable Catches

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (1) what representations he has received on negotiations under the Common Fisheries Policy on Area 7 Nephrops total allowable catch quota for 2010;

Answer: I am well aware of the importance of the Nephrops fishery in the Irish Sea to UK fishermen. I visited Portavogie earlier in the year, to see this at first hand and have since received a significant number of representations both from the relevant sections of the fishing industry and hon. Members either with constituency or policy interest. The Commission had originally proposed a 30 per cent. cut in the total allowable catch (TAC) for the stock and although it was not possible to argue away the cut altogether, working closely with Michelle Gildemew (Minister for the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development) and deploying more up-to-date science, we succeeded in limiting the reduction to 9 per cent. In the circumstances this was a very credible result. In the meantime, we will also be exploring the potential for supplementing the UK's quota with international swaps from other member states. However, for the future, it will be important to balance the short-term interests of the fishermen, with the longer term sustainable management of the stock.The Minister for the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development was present throughout the December Council and she and I have been in regular contact in the lead-up to the negotiations to discuss the full range of Northern Irish interests.

Secondary information