European Maritime, Fisheries and Aquaculture Fund | EMFAF

Background

The European Maritime, Aquaculture and Fisheries Fund (EMFAF) is the fund for the EU's maritime and fisheries policies for 2021–2027.

The EU's Common Fisheries Policy aims to support the productivity of the maritime economy and seafood markets while conserving the fish stocks that they rely on. Robust and reliable scientific data on the state of fish stocks and marine ecosystems is, therefore, vital to strategic decision making, developing fisheries policy and assessing management measures. The EU Data Collection Framework (DCF) is a statutory framework which obligates Member States to collect this necessary data to implement the CFP.

In 2017, the EU updated the Data Collection Framework (DCF) with Regulation 2017/1004, which sets out principles for data collection in the fisheries sector. In 2021, the DCF was further amended with Decision 2021/1167 to include data on listed diadromous species (Atlantic salmon, sea trout and European eel), as well as data on recreational fisheries for designated marine fish stocks agreed at a regional level.

The managing authority for Ireland's EMFAF programme is the Marine Programmes Division of the Department of of Agriculture, Food and Marine, and the beneficiary public bodies include the Marine Institute and Inland Fisheries Ireland; the Marine Institute is responsible for coordinating Ireland's national obligations under the DCF.

Data Collection

The DCF regulations require EU Member States to collect biological, technical and socioeconomic data in a multi-annual national programme. The DCF is structured into national work plans that include:

Multi-annual sampling programmes
At-sea monitoring of commercial and recreational fisheries
Research surveys at sea
Plans for management and use of collected data for scientific analysis

Ireland's DCF programme is designed around an ecosystem-based approach to fisheries management, which includes collection of data on marine communities, food web dynamics, and environmental drivers to support ecosystem modelling that meets current and likely future DCF requirements and the needs of end-users, such as International Council for Exploration of the Seas (ICES) scientific working groups. It also addresses knowledge gaps for data-poor stocks to respond to emerging advisory requirements.

Atlantic bluefin tuna with yellow floy tag visible in its back. Photo courtesy of Adrian Molloy.

IFI's Remit for the DCF

Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI) is the competent State authority with statutory responsibilities for the conservation and management of Atlantic salmon, sea trout, European eel and marine fish species targeted by sea anglers. By providing data on these species, IFI contributes to the DCF, which, in turn, allows for more comprehensive assessments of the diadromous and marine fish species resources of Ireland and of other EU Member States.

IFI research programmes that are supported by the EMFAF include:

Marine Fish Species: The Irish Marine Recreational Angling Survey (IMREC) is an established project designed to estimate catches of fish by sea anglers countrywide. Estimates are based on survey data collected from shore and boat anglers, at known sea angling locations around the coast, and catch data from boat angling charter skippers. Fish size data are also collected. Catch data are also collected through a voluntary sea angler diary.
The Marine Recreational Angling species programme also embraces the Tuna CHART programme, which works with authorised charter skippers to catch, tag and release Atlantic bluefin tuna, caught by onboard angling customers, around the Irish coast. The catch data are reported to the DCF and ultimately assists EU and international efforts to conserve and manage this species.
Atlantic Salmon: Data on Ireland's salmon stocks is collected by IFI and reported for use by end-users including the ICES Working Group on North Atlantic Salmon and the Technical Expert Group on Salmon (TEGOS). This includes angling and commercial catch information from the Wild Salmon & Sea Trout Tagging Scheme, as well as biological information from adult and juvenile stocks in the National Salmonid Index Catchment River Erriff and other key index rivers in Ireland. Ultimately, this provides scientific data necessary to evaluate the conservation status of Atlantic salmon stocks and to provide advice to fishery managers and policy makers for their sustainable management.
European Eel: The Eel Monitoring Programme (EMP) surveys all life stages of European eels recruiting to, resident in and migrating from index river systems around Ireland to monitor their conservation status. This data is vital to the work of the Technical Expert Group on Eel (TEGE), which is an inter-agency scientific advisory committee that reports progress on the conservation status of European eel annually to meet Ireland's national obligations under EU Regulation 1100/2007. The TEGE committee also compiles scientific data required for international cooperation on European eel conservation, such as the Joint Working Group on Eel (WGEEL) and other ICES working groups.