1. EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT Committee on Fisheries Public Hearing Are Transferable Fishing Concessions appropriate tools for addressing overcapacity and fleet management? appropriate tools for addressing overcapacity and fleet management? 24 April 2012 - 15.30 to 18.30 Room ASP 1G3, Brussels Sean O Donoghue Killybegs Fishermen’s Organisation & Federation Irish Fishermen

2. Are TFCs appropriate tools for addressing overcapacity & fleet management? Answer NO

3. WHY?   Socio Economic issues   Major Problems Safeguard Measures   Definition Fishing Overcapacity   Financing Issues

4. Transferable Fishing Concessions Reminder Commission’s Proposal Key Elements   Mandatory obligation all Member States   Time limited 15 years   Applies vessels greater than 12 metres   Special Provisions regarding concessions

5. Transferable Fishing Concessions Socio-Economic Issues Why is mandatory nature major problem?   Concentration of ownership of quotas   Internally within Member State   Externally across Member States   No longer economic benefit to local fishery dependant areas   Demise Fishing Communities   Example Killybegs

6. Socio –Economic Issues Fishing Effort All Countries Irish EEZ Socio- Economic Issues

7. Killybegs Impact Assessment Study n Report commissioned by EC/DG MARE Fish / 2006 / 06 European Commission Studies in the Field of the Common Fisheries Policy and Maritime Affairs Lot 4: Impact Assessment Studies related to the CFP Regional social and economic impacts of change in fisheries-dependent communities March 2011 n One of 24 case studies in 5 fisheries dependent areas.

9. Killybegs Turnover 82% Dependence on Seafood Sector EU average 11%

10. Killybegs Employment 68% dependant EU average 14%

11. Transferable Fishing Concessions Socio-Economic Issues Why is mandatory nature major problem?   Concentration of ownership of quotas   Internally within Member State   Externally across Member States   No longer economic benefit to local fishery dependant areas   Demise Fishing Communities   Example Killybegs   Social fabric of Fishing Community destroyed

12. Transferable Fishing Concessions Major Problems Safeguard Measures   Ruling ECJ Factortame Cases 1991, C-213/89 & C-221/89   Cannot discriminate on nationally grounds   Provides possibility for economic link criteria

13. Transferable Fishing Concessions Major Problems Safeguard Measures   Economic link criteria ineffective   UK (Defra) review 2009 shows :   After implementation number economic link criteria over ten years   Benefit to the UK from foreign owned vessels 10% approx. turnover of foreign vessels   Once TFCs mandatory economic link criteria ineffective   Commission cannot guarantee otherwise   Court Rulings & Treaty provisions exist

14. Definition Fishing Overcapacity   Not defined existing CFP or proposal   Court of Auditors Special Report No 12. 2011 “ Existing definitions of fishing capacity did not adequately reflect the ability of vessels to catch fish; Fishing overcapacity had not been defined or quantified; Fleet capacity ceilings had little real effect on adapting fishing capacity of the fleet to fishing opportunities”

15. Definition Fishing Overcapacity   Equals economic overcapacity Is an individual fishing vessel economically viable with available fishing opportunities?   Complex & variable   TFCs not solution instead   Targeted scrapping

16. Transferable Fishing Concessions Financial Issues   Economic overcapacity   Over capitalisation remaining vessels   Bank lending present climate   Increased fishing pressure

17. Conclusion Transferable Fishing Concessions are not appropriate tools for addressing overcapacity & fleet management

18. END.