The Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Simon Coveney TD recently launched a national consultation on the impact of the EU Commission’s proposals for CFP reform.
The proposals cover the main policy aspects of the CFP involving access to waters, conservation and management of the resource, aquaculture, the EU’s external fisheries policy, market policy for the EU seafood sector and consultation mechanisms with stakeholders. The Minister has invited interested parties to submit their views on the range of reform issues that the EU Commission has tabled in its proposals.
“The time is now for us to assess how these proposals will affect not just our economy, but also the social fabric of our coastal communities and the natural environment on which our fisheries resources are dependent,” the Minister said. “We need to measure the potential impacts of these proposals and feed the debate with facts” he added. Minister Coveney said that in order to facilitate consultation his Department has made information on the EU Commission’s proposals and on how to make a submission, including electronic submissions, available online at www.fishingnet.ie/CFPR/intro.htm.
All submissions received will be acknowledged and will, subject to legal and editorial considerations, be published on www.fishingnet.ie/CFPR/intro.htm.
