AQW 12813/17-22

Mr John Blair
Alliance Party
South Antrim

Tabled Date: 15/01/2021
Answered On Date: 27/01/2021
Priority Written: Yes

Question:
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs what discussions he has had with the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs in relation to allocating Northern Ireland its share of the new quota on the basis of the established principle of fixed quota allocation units.

Answer:

The 2018 UK Government white paper on fisheries set out an intention to discuss with Devolved Administrations the allocation of additional quota, secured through future negotiations with the EU, on a different basis than the principle of Fixed Quota Allocation (FQA) Units.

My Department has been fully engaged in these discussions and I wrote to both the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and to the UK Fisheries Minister on the 13th October 2020 setting out my views on the DEFRA proposals. I have also raised this issue with the DEFRA Fisheries Minister on 18th November and most recently on the 18th January 2021.

It remains my view that additional quota must first be allocated to ensure continued activity of our existing fleets in the Irish Sea and around the wider UK. My preference is to continue to use the existing FQA allocation system for all UK quota, however we need to fully consider the proposals to ensure that all administrations get a fair outcome and this will only be possible when the Coastal State negotiations, which will set the total quota available for many species, have concluded. My Department are fully involved in these negotiations.

I will continue to closely monitor both the negotiations and allocation discussions