DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND
FOOD
2007 OBJECTIVES AND OUTPUTS
(RELEVANT TO THE 2007 APPROPRIATION
ACCOUNTS OF THE DEPARTMENT OF
COMMUNICATIONS, ENERGY AND NATURAL
RESOURCES)
COSTAL ZONE MANAGEMENT [Subhead B]
PROGRAMME GOAL
To support and manage the sustainable use and development of Ireland’s marine territory.
Closing
Estimate Provision
€000
B.1
Costal Protection and
Management
Outturn
Accruals
€000
€000
€000
465
465
-
B.2
Foreshore Development
52
52
-
B.3
Marine Tourism
1
-
-
2007 COSTAL ZONE MANAGEMENT PROGRAMME OUTPUTS
Output Target
Output Achieved
Review of Aquaculture licensing regime Aquaculture licensing issues arising from
significantly progressed by end 2007
nature conservation were significantly
progressed with the National Parks and
wildlife Service (NPWS). A strategic plan to
addressing the overall backlog of licences
was formulated and announced by Minister at
the Aquaculture Forum in November 2007
and its implementation will be commenced in
2008.
New statement of standards for the Foreshore New standards were to be included in a major
to be significantly progressed in conjunction consultancy on future management of
with the Department of Finance by end 2007 foreshore. Agreement was secured on this
consultancy, including its terms of reference.
Future work must await the completion of the
transfer of certain key foreshore functions to
the Dept. of the Environment, Heritage and
Local Government.
Impact of the Shellfish Waters Directive A broadly based interdepartmental/agency
assessed in conjunction with the Department committee concluded its assessment of the
of the Environment, Heritage and Local Shellfish Waters Directive and referred a
Government and any necessary remedial Memorandum to Government to proceed
works begun by end 2007.
with further designations under the Shellfish
Waters Directive. Implementation of the
Government Decision is ongoing through the
Interdepartmental Shellfish Waters
Management Committee. Additional
designations and revised regulations will be
brought out by mid 2008.
Complete and publish the Coastal Protection The Coastal Protection Strategy Study is a
Strategy by Quarter 4, 2007.
long-term, not an annual, project which
involves the assessment and mapping of all
areas vulnerable to coastal flood and erosion.
Following the 2006 pilot study of the
coastline from Dalkey to Carnsore Point, the
2007 work programme completed the surge
modelling and identification of areas at risk
on the North East coast and made substantial
progress on the South–East coastline. All of
the information gathered during the study is
collated on a Geographical Information
System (GIS) and planning guidance is
provided to Department of Environment,
Heritage and Local Government and the
Office of Public Works as required.
The transfer of functions relating to Coastal
Protection and Coastal Flooding to the Dept.
of the Environment, Heritage and Local
Government is currently in train.
MARINE RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME [Subhead C]
PROGRAMME GOAL
To inform both national and international marine policy, regulatory objectives and statutory
obligations.
To deliver national marine discovery research capability which supports the innovation and
sustainable development of the marine sector and the protection of the marine environment.
Closing
Estimate Provision
€000
C.1
Marine Institute (Grant-in-Aid)
Outturn
Accruals
€000
€000
€000
19,554
19,554
-
2007 MARINE RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME OUTPUTS
Output Target
Output Achieved
Fully meet data and advice requirements of All advice and reporting requirements and
the Department and the EU as per the Marine deadlines were met. In summary
Institute’s Performance Contract.
- 47 articles published in journals;
- 16 Marine Institute Publications;
- 21 invitations accepted to address
international conferences as key note
speakers;
- 21 international groups chaired by
Marine Institute staff;
- 25 collaborative research contracts
progressed;
almost 200 visits by international
researchers.
Upgrade the national marine research
The following marine research awards, aimed
capability by
at achieving the objectives of Sea Change,
o Marine Research awards made by July were completed during 2007:
2007, following international evaluation,
1. Beaufort Marine Research Awards
o First research staff recruited by involved €19.33m of targeted funding in five
September 2007.
thematic areas.
o Allocation of spend for 2007 fully
deployed.
2. SSTI

Marine Climate Change Programme€865k of SSTI funding for two
projects.

Marine Functional Foods Initiative €2.6 million (with matched funding
from the Food Institutional Research
Measure (FIRM) under the Agri-Food
Sub Programme) awarded for the
establishment of a research

consortium.
Integrated Marine Exploration
Programme (April 2007)—€729k
awarded for research surveys and
training programmes onboard the
national research vessels
3. NDP- Marine Research Sub-Prog.
€9.4 million grant-aid awarded to 17 projects
in the areas of Fisheries, Seaweed,
Aquaculture, Marine Environment, Marine
Technology, Knowledge & Information
Management, Marine Biodiscovery and
Ocean Energy
During 2007, research funding under the
various streams (Beaufort, SSTI and NDP
Marine Research Sub-programme) will result
in the creation of support over 100 new
research positions in new and existing
research groups. By September 2007 the first
of these researchers were recruited, with the
bulk of new positions coming on-stream in
late 2007 and early-2008.
Promotion of liberal access to data resources
by
o Rapidly increasing e-enabled access to
marine data.
o 25% of all marine survey data to be
publicly available by end 2007 through
an interactive web data delivery system
Year 1 of “Sea Change” strategy
implemented in line with approved
implementation plan and budgets.
The 2007 funding allocation was fully
utilised.
The use of www.maps.marine.ie with its
specially developed GIS viewer has
significantly improved access to marine data.
Examples of data now available include:
- Research Vessel underway data,
CTD and Weather Buoy
- Fisheries Acoustic, Ground fish
Survey, UWTV Survey, Egg &
Larval Survey
- Inshore fisheries atlas of fishing and
related activities in Ireland territorial
waters
- Marine Environment Nutrients, Titbit
Sea Temperature Probes, HABS
Monitoring network
- Wave energy resource atlas
Data acquired under INFOMAR(the joint
programme of the Marine Institute and the
Geological Survey of Ireland), together with
data from the preceding Irish National
Seabed Survey, has been put on-line at
www.infomar.ie/data.
The Marine Institute also continues to lead
the Irish Spatial Data Exchange project by
providing a distributed meta-data service
The 1st Annual Report on the implementation
of the ‘Sea Change’ strategy has been
drafted in 2007. It is scheduled for release in
Q 1 2008 and sets out the progress achieved
in Year 1 on the management and
implementation of the Strategy.
The major elements include the establishment
of the Sea Change Management Unit and the
high-level Steering Group to drive and
monitor the delivery of Sea Change. On the
research front, cross-sectoral Research
Programme Advisory Teams have been set
up, research funding has been secured and
research priorities and processes for 2007
have been decided and projects developed.
SEAFOOD AND FISHERY HARBOUR DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME
[Subhead D]
PROGRAMME GOAL
To maximise the contribution of the seafood sector to the economies of coastal regions.
Closing
Estimate Provision
€000
Outturn
Accruals
€000
€000
€000
28,086
25,086
-
611
612
-
-
-
-
2,537
2,537
-
246
246
-
11,308
10,954
-
5,572
5,572
-
Bord Iascaigh Mhara (Grant-inD.1
Aid)
Original
24,201
Deferred Surrender
3,885
Fisheries Conservation and
D.2
Management including Shellfish
Monitoring Programme
D.3
Fish Processing
D.4
Aquaculture Development
D.5
Aquaculture Licences Appeals
Board
Development and Upgrading of
D.6
D.7
Harbours for Fishery Purposes
Original
4,603
Deferred Surrender
6,705
Sea Fisheries Protection
Authority
2007 SEAFOOD AND FISHERY HARBOUR DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME
OUTPUTS
Output Target
Meet Ireland’s obligations under the
Common Fisheries Policy (CFP) by
o Complying with EU fleet targets and
o
o Ensuring EU quotas are fully respected,
while delivering regimes agreed with o
Industry.
o
Output Achieved
Fleet capacity within EU targets on 31st
December 2007.
Quotas managed in accordance with
industry recommendations
In 2007, Ireland was within quotas for 56
stocks, overshoot on 5 stocks and
corresponding adjustments being made to
Detailed Programmes on sea fisheries,
aquaculture, seafood processing, seafood
marketing and training established in Quarter
3, 2007.
2008 quotas.
The National Strategic Plan for fisheries was
submitted to the EU Commission. The
Operational Programme for Fisheries was
progressed and submitted for public
consultation phase.
Up to 24 vessels, representing 3,000 GTs, EU Commission approval was secured for
removed from the fleet.
scrapping of vessels.
Implement the 2007 Fishery Harbour
Infrastructural Programme. Among the major
Fishery Harbour projects to be undertaken in
2007
are
development
works
at
Castletownbere, Greencastle and completion
of the pier at Clogher Head.
Major infrastructural works undertaken
included:
Castletownbere: Dredging completed and
the pier construction contract awarded. Civil
works are progressing and are scheduled for
completion in March 2009. 2007 expenditure
was over €6.7 million Greencastle:
Expenditure on this project in 2007 was over
€1.1 million. Breakwater construction
commenced in August 2007
Clogherhead: The new pier was completed
and was officially opened in Summer 2007.
Expenditure in 2007 of €914,000 ensured the
completion of the main contract work, the
replacement of the watermain within the
harbour and the repair of the harbour
entrance road.
Deliver the State’s obligations for sea
1,789 inspections were carried out by SFPA
fisheries protection through compliance with in 2007.
EU framework and regulatory obligations
Land based inspectorate for the Authority
under the CFP.
increased and a review of systems and
procedures was completed.
Operational establishment of the independent The Sea Fisheries Protection Authority has
Sea Fisheries Protection Authority by Quarter been established and is fully operational
2 2007.
Deliver Ireland’s priorities at EU level under At the December Fisheries Council a
the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP)
balanced and stable agreement was reached
- by having effective recovery plans in
on fish quotas. In addition, further effective
place for key stocks,
conservation measures were agreed including
- by promoting a level playing field on
agreed recovery plans for over fished stocks;
controls and
defined total allowable catches that maximise
by developing and progressing a new
fishing opportunities within sustainable
approach to conservation at EU level.
levels; and a new protection areas for deep
water coral reefs.
In addition, the new electronic logbook rules
were agreed at EU level; the EU Control
Agency was given a stronger role; and
strengthened rules for control of catch on
freezer vessels were agreed.
Work on more environmentally friendly
fishing was progressed involving Regional
Advisory Councils.