The Minister for Agriculture & the Marine, Charlie Mc Conalogue has announced the establishment of a Common Fisheries Policy Review Group.
The group will be chaired by Mr John Malone, former Secretary General of the Department of Agriculture who will be assisted by a steering committee.
The Group will involve representatives of stakeholders, including Producer Organisations, National Inshore Fisheries Forum, the Aquaculture industry, Co-Ops, and the Seafood processing industry.
It will also include representatives of environmental NGOs.
Its purpose is to examine the issues that arise for Ireland in the context of the CFP Review, to advise the Minister McConalogue on priorities for the negotiations and to identify strategies most likely to influence the outcome of the review.
The Minister will ask the Group, in making its recommendations in relation to the CFP Review, to focus on supporting the social and economic health of the fisheries dependant coastal communities, economic development in our sea-food sector, delivering long term sustainability of fish stocks and maximising protection of habitats and the marine environment.
